The Riachuelo, the first Brazilian submarine in the Prosub program, successfully completed her first independent dive down to safety depth during the night of Friday to Saturday, off Sepetiba Bay near Rio. A success eagerly awaited by all the front office teams of Naval Group and ICN (the joint venture Itaguaï Construções Navais) in Brazil, at Itaguaï and Rio, and by all the back office teams at Cherbourg, Ollioules, Nantes-Indret, Brest, Angoulême-Ruelle and Saint-Tropez who have been working together for nearly 12 years to bring this program to fruition !
“Congratulations to all the teams in Brazil and France who have been working together on this program, demonstrating - for more than 10 years now - Naval Group and ICN’s ability to support their Brazilian customers in the design and construction of their future submarines,” declared Pierre Éric Pommellet.
For nearly 12 years, the Prosub program has involved more than 3,000 French and Brazilian employees, whether in the design and construction of conventional submarines (SBR), or in assistance with the design of the future nuclear-powered submarine (SNBR) or in the design of Itaguaï naval base. It also involves - along with other French and local suppliers as well as our partners - our crew training subcontractor Navfco.
“This technical success represents, above all, an accomplishment and a magnificent reward for an exceptional human adventure!” commented Sébastien Roulland, the programme's Whole Warship Architect, as he disembarked after this key first for the programme.
And the adventure goes on, with the upcoming launch of the Humaitá, second in the series, in mid-December; then the final joining of the Tonelero, the third conventional submarine in the Prosub programme!
[Prosub] The Riachuelo completes her first dive underway! | Naval Group
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