Recent visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Brasilia, where he took part in national day celebrations in Brazil (September 7), was crowned with the announcement of a strategic partnership between the two countries will be stamped with the purchase of submarines and fighter Gauls by a significant amount of money.
Figures released by the press indicate that the plan of acquisition of four Scorpene conventional submarines and the hull of a nuclear powered submarine will have an initial cost of around 8,500 million euros, equivalent to 11,000 million dollars, even when English newspaper El Pais makes up that amount to U.S. $ 12,317 million.
year France in Brazil could be held in a better way. This amply justify a second visit to the Planalto Sarkozy in a year, this time accompanied by eight ministers.
was not for less, if the purchase of submarines is added to the news that the Brazilian Air Force purchase 36 Rafale fighters, displacing two powerful competitors, the F-18 Gripen Americans and Swedes, with an estimated value 4 billion euros (U.S. $ 5,160 million), depending on the kit of weapons that attach to them, which makes up the overall package of sales to 12,500 million euros (16,250 million).
The astronomical figures in dance is broken down in many ways.
journalist Igor Gielow, the Folha de Sao Paulo, published this detail: four conventional submersible at a rate of 415 million euros each, giving 1,660 million euros, integration of a reactor at a Brazilian nuclear submarine hull: two billion more, the development of a special base and a shipyard to build ships in the harbor of Sepetiba, in Itaguaí (Rio de Janeiro), as has transpired, " administered by a joint venture between Brazil's Odebrecht and French DNCS: thousand 800 million more, over one billion euros extra in 'unclear heading "(the quote is from Gielow) of" technology transfer ".
The numeral gives a total of 6,400 million euros, to which must be added 1,850 million that are paid by the purchase of 50 transport helicopter EC-725, to be distributed among the three branches of the armed forces. The helicopter, whose delivery date is planned between 2010 and 2016, will be materialized by the consortium formed by the Brazilian company Helibras and Eurocopter, a subsidiary of EADS group.
Numbers do not add to the analyst
Janio de Freitas, however, the figures quoted above-especially those relating to the agreement by the submarines - "do not correspond either to a third of the military draft, which cost ten or 20 years was cited, as fast as possible, in 20 billion, it is unclear if real, dollars or euros. Neither are true quantities of arms above, as exemplified by the spread of the reported 32 fighters, which are so low, more than 130. "
resonant Not satisfied with this report, published in the Folha September 6, De Freitas, who has been acid-tongued critic of the purchase of French submarines at the expense of the Germans that the Brazilian Navy has today, to find them expensive and useful still unproven, says that "20 billion will be announced, in fact, more than 200 billion dollars in total spending (Defense) intended for the next ten years. "
The commander of the Navy, Admiral Julio Soares de Moura Neto, countered, in turn, these arguments, calling them "seller's talk." For the naval chief, Chile and India are very satisfied with their purchases of Scorpene. And the IKL-214, German submersible sold, for example, to Turkey, costs, in its view, as well as the Scorpene: that is, around 430 million euros per unit.
dollars more or fewer dollars, it is certain that the Brazilian press has highlighted, unanimously, the great leap forward that these purchases represent armaments. Overcome, by far the purchase of British battleships in the early twentieth century, the American ship, after the end of the Second War and even in terms of percentage of GDP is higher than the agreement reached in 1975 with Germany for technology transfer peaceful nuclear.
Politically, this means that Brazil, an emerging power, want to have a military presence compatible with his status as the only BRIC Western and Christian, and without nuclear weapons.
The other clear message from this alliance is that Brazil and France are united, not necessarily against the United States, but a better balance of forces internationally. And at the regional level with Colombia and Peru emphasizing its dependence with respect to Washington, and a trailing Venezuela allies neighborhood, influenced by the discourse "Bolivarian" to the vector Russia-Iran, Brazil is trying to escape forced options and bet against the unipolar world. Shielding
Blue Amazonia
Not only that, from the discovery of huge oil fields, located under the guise of the so-called pre-salt, there is the challenge to monitor and maintain a territory of more than 140 thousand square kilometers , which extends from Espiritu Santo in the north to Santa Catarina in the south. An area that, according to Lula recalled in his speech to the nation on September 6, is coextensive with the state of Ceará.
A real jewel in the crown, which is nestled in a sea of \u200b\u200bjurisdiction of 4.5 million square kilometers, the area that the Navy has called the "Blue Amazonia." Bringing up, on the other hand, in a veiled anything, how the Brazilians have always felt threatened its sovereignty over the other Amazon: the green, on which the eyes of many NGOs and foreign powers have rested with undisguised appetite.
Why, some say, then, a nuclear submarine, when what is required is quantity rather than quality, in terms operating platforms? The answer is simple: these ships have greater autonomy of movement. No need to surface to recharge their batteries and motors, but self-sustaining for longer periods of time under the surface and this enhances their surprise appearance in the most unexpected places.
Moreover, the project will have capacity to plan, build and operate both conventional and nuclear submarines, by 2021, would transform Brazil into the new member of a select club that currently has only six known membership: U.S. Russia, China, France, Britain and India.
nuclear armament is no longer taboo
This determines also that there are those who openly proclaim in letters if not already here when it comes to being a nuclear power in its fullness.
So says the magazine Carta Capital in a recent report (September 2, 2009): "Brazil can aspire to greater leadership in the world without mounting a modern and formidable military arsenal, including at least dominate the manufacturing process of an atomic bomb? "
fact: Professor Eurico de Lima Figueiredo, president of the Brazilian Association of Defense says unmitigated following in the same journal:" Personally, I think in five or ten years, society will say whether or not a nuclear bomb, regardless of whether we are signatories to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons. It is a natural step in our nuclear independence. And that will be discussed by civilians within democratic rules. "
is no coincidence, therefore, that the initialed cooperation agreements with France in recent times with three dimensions: defense, economy and issues related to nuclear energy. That is why these agreements falls, for example, the need to revisit the works of the Angra 3 plant and mutual cooperation for the exploration of uranium.
The plans of the Brazilian government, as stated in publicly, it is noted that there the idea of \u200b\u200bbuilding up to 25 new thermonuclear plants in the next 24 years.
This position is reinforced by the Member and historic leader of the PT, José Genuine, who declares: "Our interest is to master the technology for peaceful purposes. Mastering the cycle of production (enriched uranium), expressive gains can bring to our industry. " Clarifying, of course, at the same time, the Brazilian defense policy is deterrence, not confrontation. "
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