Riachuelo (FRA Scorpene)

The Riachuelo-class is a series of conventional attack submarines built for the Brazilian Navy, derived from the French-Spanish Scorpène class. These submarines feature an enlarged hull compared to the standard Scorpène design, allowing for increased endurance and payload.

Developed under Brazil's ambitious PROSUB program initiated in 2008, this submarine class was conceived to modernize the Brazilian Navy's underwater fleet and establish domestic shipbuilding capabilities through a technology transfer agreement with France's Naval Group. The lead vessel of the class, Riachuelo (S40), was launched in late 2018 and officially commissioned into active service in September 2022. Since commissioning, the submarine has been deployed on patrol and deterrence missions within Brazil's vast "Blue Amazon" territorial waters to safeguard critical offshore energy infrastructure. Currently active alongside its sister ships, the Riachuelo serves as a vital technological stepping stone toward Brazil's ultimate goal of constructing its first nuclear-powered attack submarine.