President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that the acquisition of new submarines for Brazil is a defense strategy without war intentions, but rather to maintain peace.
The statement was made by Lula, this Wednesday (27), during the baptism ceremony and launching into the sea of the Tonelero submarine. The vessel is the result of a cooperation agreement between Brazil and France. Lula also celebrated the centuries-old partnership between the two countries.
The President of France, Emanuel Macron, who participated in the submarine’s naming ceremony, said that this is another mark of the partnership between Brazil and France. Macron also praised the exchange of knowledge between the two nations. The French president also highlighted the trust and performance of everyone involved in the process.
The first lady, Janja, was chosen as the vessel’s godmother and named the submarine Tonelero.
The ceremony marks the beginning of the testing phase for combat and navigation systems, as well as assessments of their stability at sea.
The vessel is part of ProSub, the Submarine Development Program, and is the result of a partnership between Brazil and France, which began in 2008. The budget is approximately R$40 billion.
The Tonelero submarine is the third of four conventional submarines with diesel-electric propulsion planned by ProSub.
