Nuclep advances with the onshore prototype of Brazil’s future nuclear submarine

The Brazilian nuclear-powered submarine is an entirely national development, involving many military secrets accumulated over years of research led by the Brazilian Navy with its nuclear program.

Among the holders of these secrets is Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados (Nuclep), a heavy boiler manufacturing company and certainly the only company in Brazil capable of building a nuclear submarine.

As an example, the hull of the nuclear-powered submarine and other special equipment, such as the reactor vessel and heat exchangers, are national developments led by Nuclep.

Nuclep is currently finalizing the construction of Block 40, the section where the Labgene (Laboratório de Geração de Energia Nucleoelétrica) reactor, the full-scale prototype of the nuclear submarine, will be located, but based on land in Brazilian Navy facilities.

This section is to be delivered by April 29, 2023.

In February, the parts are scheduled to arrive in Iperó, in the interior of São Paulo, to begin assembly activities.

The company is also preparing to start the construction of the submarine’s Qualification Section, which is required to train the technical personnel who will weld the special pressure vessels and other high-tech services before starting construction of the hull itself.

The construction contract is scheduled to be signed in February with Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN).

With information from Infodefensa

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error