Brazilian Navy releases new 20-year plan

The Brazilian Navy is looking to acquire medium-sized general-purpose helicopters and attack, anti-submarine (ASW) and reconnaissance helicopters according the recently released Brazilian Navy latest Strategic Plan, the Plano Estratégico da Marinha 2040 (PEM 2040).

The Strategic Plan which was publicly released on 10 September, calls for a host of other new measures to be implemented over the next 20 years.

For example, the navy wants to significantly increase research-and-development (R&D) to develop shipboard systems, such as communications, detection, navigation, and electronic warfare. The R&D increases are also meant to help boost the country's Defence Technological and Industrial Base (DTIB).

The navy also wants to achieve a minimum of 65% of ships and aircraft operational availability, update the service’s leadership organisational structure, create a cyber-warfare squadron, and bolster its satellite ability to intercept maritime communications, according to the plan.

The navy is now going to focus more heavily on operations in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, paying particular attention to threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, organised crimes, urban conflicts, natural resources dispute, cyber warfare, terrorism, the illegal access to knowledge, pandemics, natural disasters, and environmental issues, according to PEM 2040. The idea is to control the maritime access to Brazil.

The document, which does not describe exact schedules, also covers a range of modernisation projects that were previously planned or initiated but not yet effectively implemented or concluded such as acquiring mine-hunting ships, escort ships, aircraft carriers, a logistics support ship, coastal, and offshore patrol ships, Antarctic support ship, training ships, survey ships, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fighter jets, and lightweight training and utility helicopters; enlarge and modernise equipment of the Marines Corps; developing the Míssil Antinavio de Superfície (MANSUP) and Míssil Antinavio Aéreo (MANAER) anti-ship missiles; and the local construction of the country’s first nuclear-powered submarine SN Álvaro Alberto.