By Rayane Bueno
The Minister of Defense, José Mucio Monteiro, participated, on Thursday (06/22), in the 54th edition of the Paris Air Show 2023, in Paris, France. At the event, Mucio met with the French Defense Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, to discuss partnership opportunities in the defense sector and the current projects underway between the two countries. The fair, considered the world’s largest event focused on the aerospace industry, began on June 19 and runs until June 25.
During the meeting, the Ministers José Mucio and Sébastien addressed, among other issues, the development of the Submarine Program (PROSUB), a strategic project of the Brazilian Navy and the result of a partnership with France that provides for technology transfer.
Created in 2008, the program foresees the construction of four diesel-electric propulsion submarines and the first Brazilian submarine with nuclear propulsion, in addition to the construction of an industrial infrastructure complex, which includes shipyards, the Naval Base, and the Steel Structures Manufacturing Unit (UFEM), in Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro.
The Riachuelo, the first diesel-electric propulsion submarine, is already in operation. The second, Humaitá, is scheduled to start operating in 2023. Until its conclusion, the Program should generate 60 thousand direct and indirect jobs.
External market – Besides projecting the country’s image in the international scenario, the Brazilian participation in the event encourages the expansion of exports of products and services developed in Brazil, as explained by the Secretary of Defense Products of the Ministry of Defense, Rui Chagas Mesquita. “The Paris Air Show attracts hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors from all over the world. It is an extremely opportune environment for us to fulfill one of our main attributions, which is to promote the Brazilian Defense Industrial Base abroad, which has great potential to generate technological, economic, and social development for Brazil,” he said.
The Defense Industrial Base represents about 5% of the Brazilian GDP and generates 2.9 million direct and indirect jobs.
Paris Air Show – Created in 1909, the fair brings together the main technological innovations in aviation and space in the world. This year’s edition will have about 2,500 exhibitors and 304 official delegations from 98 countries.