Brazil Eyes Nuke-powered Sub

[unhappycamper]

Brazil Eyes Nuke-powered Sub
December 24, 2008
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazil and France have signed an arms deal that could lead to Latin America's first nuclear submarine.

The agreement signed Dec. 22 by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva calls for France to transfer technology to build four Scorpene type submarines and "develop the non-nuclear part of a nuclear-propelled submarine." The text was posted on the Web site of Brazil's Foreign Ministry.

The Scorpene is a conventional diesel-powered attack vessel that Brazilian officials say will help them develop a nuclear-propelled submarine they would use to protect Brazil's large offshore oil reserves and exploration platforms.

Brazil began a program to develop a nuclear submarine in 1979 and Silva last year announced $540 million in new funding for the program and for uranium enrichment efforts.

The nation has five conventionally powered submarines.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/brazil-eyes-nuke-powered-sub.html?col=1186032310810

[n2doc]

1. More wasted money. Brazil has many more pressing needs

than some gold plated toy for the military. Sheesh, I thought they were smarter than that.