Description
Brazil’s F21 Torpedo Integration in the Prosub Program
Brazil torpedo market is significantly advanced by the integration of Naval Group’s F21 heavyweight torpedo into its Prosub submarine development program, enhancing anti-submarine warfare capabilities and supporting maritime security. This initiative underscores Brazil’s strategic reliance on advanced foreign technology while pursuing indigenous development through partnerships.
F21 Torpedo Capabilities and Prosub Compatibility
The F21, a wire-guided heavyweight torpedo with a range exceeding 50 km, features advanced acoustic homing and countermeasures resistance, making it ideal for complex coastal environments. As Brazil’s first international client for the F21, the Brazilian Navy equips its Scorpène-class submarines—Riachuelo (S-40, commissioned 2022), Humaitá (S-41, commissioned January 2024), Tonelero (S-42, launched March 2024), and Angostura (S-43, scheduled 2025)—with this system. The torpedo’s integration via the SUBTICS combat suite ensures seamless operation, bolstering the fleet’s ability to neutralize enemy submarines and surface threats in Brazil’s vast exclusive economic zone.
Technology Transfer and Naval Modernization
Under the 2008 Franco-Brazilian Prosub agreement, Naval Group provides extensive technology transfer, including torpedo design and maintenance training at facilities in Cherbourg and Lorient. This has trained over 200 Brazilian professionals, fostering local expertise at Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN). The program, valued at over €526 million in recent contracts (September 2025), supports the construction of four conventional submarines and the nuclear-powered Álvaro Alberto (SN-BR, launch planned 2031), with F21 as the primary weapon alongside SM39 missiles. This modernization replaces aging Tupi-class vessels, extending operational life and enhancing deterrence in the South Atlantic.
Synergy with Indigenous Efforts
While the F21 addresses immediate needs, Brazil advances self-reliance through the Torpedo Pesado Nacional (TPNer), developed since 2015 by Mectron (now SIATT) for future Prosub submarines. The TPNer aims to arm Scorpène and nuclear classes independently, reducing foreign dependency. Complementary developments, like EDGE Group’s MANSUP anti-ship missiles (with torpedo variants under evaluation for Tamandaré-class frigates), integrate into the broader naval arsenal, supporting anti-submarine and offshore asset protection.
Strategic and Economic Implications
The F21’s deployment strengthens Brazil’s “Blue Amazon” defense, protecting offshore oil assets in the Santos Basin and countering regional threats. Prosub has generated over 3,000 jobs and 30+ technology transfer agreements, boosting the defense industrial base.
In summary, the F21’s integration into Prosub exemplifies Brazil’s balanced approach to advanced naval armaments, combining immediate operational gains with long-term self-sufficiency. As the program progresses toward 2034 deliveries, it solidifies Brazil’s role in underwater warfare innovation.
