The Brazilian Navy is reinforcing its force with four Scorpène-class submarines. Credit: 3ºSG-ET Cássio/Marinha do Brasil/Flickr(Creative Commons).

The Brazilian Navy’s third of the four Scorpène-class submarines, Tonelero (S-42), has successfully completed its maiden sea trials. 

The submarine was put through navigation and static immersion manoeuvres in the waters of Sepetiba Bay, near the Itaguaí Naval Complex. 

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On 25 October 2024, the Tonelero underwent a stability test, focusing on static immersion to calculate its displacement on the surface and while submerged.  

This test is essential to ensure the safety of future trials by accurately determining the vessel’s buoyancy characteristics.  

In preparation for the upcoming sea departure, various operational checks were performed on the submarine’s systems, including radar, observation and optronic periscopes, navigation, echo sounder, communications, sonar, and underwater telephony, to meet safety milestones. 

The following day, the submarine’s rescue guardhouse was tested, a feature that allows crew escape in emergencies.  

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This ensures safety for the submarine’s first dynamic immersion, scheduled for January 2025. 

In March 2024, Tonelero was launched at the Itaguaí Naval base. It is expected to join the fleet in 2025. 

Tonelero, built entirely in Brazil by Itaguaí Construções Navais, is part of the Brazilian Submarine Development Programme (PROSUB). Naval Group has supported this programme by providing technology transfer, supplying the submarine design documentation, delivering the necessary equipment for the submarines, and offering technical assistance. 

Prior to these sea trials, the submarine had completed buoyancy tests in August after its departure from the dry dock at the Itaguaí Naval Construction Complex. 

The PROSUB programme has already seen two of its submarines enter service with the Brazilian Navy. 

This comprises the lead Scorpène-class vessel Riachuelo (S-40) and the Humaitá (S-41), which began operations in 2022 and was commissioned in early 2024, respectively. The last submarine of the Scorpène-class series, Angostura, will be launched in 2025.