Brazilian Navy’s third Riachuelo-class submarine hits the water

Brazilian shipyard Itaguaí Construções Navais has launched the third Riachuelo-class diesel-electric submarine ordered by the Brazilian Navy.

Like its Riachuelo-class sisters, the future Tonelero is a variant of the Scorpene-class boats originally developed by French shipbuilder the Naval Group.

Once completed, the submarine will have a length of 70.62 metres, a beam of 6.2 metres, a displacement of 1,900 tonnes, a maximum speed of 21 knots, and space for 32 crewmembers. Armament will include torpedoes, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and naval mines.

One improvement of the Riachuelo-class submarines over the standard Scorpenes is their slightly greater length to accommodate more crewmembers, fuel, and food provisions. This will then enable the Brazilian boats to patrol for longer periods and cover greater distances.

The third Riachuelo-class submarine is also the second Brazilian Navy submarine to bear the name Tonelero.