''Riachuelo'' (S40) is a Brazilian ''Riachuelo''-class submarine built for the

Brazilian Navy ) , colors= Blue and white , colors_label= Colors , march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco'' , mascot= , equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...

by DCNS in Cherbourg and ICN in Itaguaí, Brazil. The Brazilian boats are larger in length, tonnage and cargo capacity compared to the French ''Scorpène'' class they are derived from. The Brazilian version are and 1,900 tons, compared to the original ''Scorpène''s that are and 1,565 tons.

Program history

In 2008, Brazil purchased four enlarged ''Scorpène''s for

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

10 billion with a total technology transfer agreement and a second agreement to develop the first Brazilian nuclear-powered submarine, . The hull of ''Riachuelo'' was laid down at Cherbourg, France on 27 May 2010 and it was jumboized at the Brazilian Navy Shipyard in Itaguaí in late 2012. ''Riachuelo'' was launched on 14 December 2018, and began

sea trial A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a " shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and ...

s in September 2019, the ''Humaitá'' was launched on 11 December 2020.

Development and design

The first stage of construction of the submarine took place in France, at the headquarters of DCNS in Cherbourg, with the cutting of the first steel plates of the structure. At this point, technology transfer from French technicians to Brazilians began. In the middle of 2013, internal parts manufactured in France arrived, which were then integrated to the other parts built in Brazil. In September 2015, the first construction stage was completed, with the delivery of the last section of resistant hull. The initial Navy predictions for the delivery of ''Riachuelo'' were for 2015, however, after some postponements, the boat was launched in 2018, in order to start the platform acceptance testing phase, with two years in duration, plus six months of tests of the combat systems, with its incorporation to the operative sector foreseen for the middle of 2021. The commissioning of ''Riachuelo'' took place on 1 September 2022. The other boats of the Brazilian class are ''Humaitá'' (S41), ''Tonelero'' (S42) and ''Angostura'' (S43).

Namesake

The ''Riachuelo'' is the seventh boat of the Brazilian Navy to receive this name, in honor of the

Battle of Riachuelo The Battle of Riachuelo was a large and decisive naval battle of the Paraguayan War between Paraguay and the Empire of Brazil. By late 1864, Paraguay had scored a series of victories in the war, but on 11 June 1865, its naval defeat by the Brazi ...

, which took place in 1865, in the

Paraguayan War The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadlies ...

. The others were: *''Riachuelo'' -

Yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

. *''Riachuelo'' - Steamboat, later renamed ''Marquês de Caxias''. *''Riachuelo'' -

Flat-bottomed boat A flat-bottomed boat is a boat with a shallow draft, two-chined hull, which allows it to be used in shallow bodies of water, such as rivers, because it is less likely to ground. The flat hull also makes the boat more stable in calm water, whic ...

. * - Steam battleship of the

Imperial Brazilian Navy The Imperial Brazilian Navy (Portuguese: ''Armada Nacional'', commonly known as ''Armada Imperial'') was the navy created at the time of the independence of the Empire of Brazil from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. It exis ...

(1883–1910) *''Riachuelo'' (S15) - Submarine of the , used in World War II by the U.S. Navy, before being incorporated into the Brazilian Navy (1943–1968) *''Riachuelo'' (S22) - Submarine of the , currently serving as a museum (1977–1997)

References

Attack submarines Riachuelo-class submarine Ships built in Brazil Ships built in France 2018 ships Submarines of Brazil {{Submarine-stub