Brazil - becoming an arms producer power

Compared with countries in the Middle East, Europe and especially the United States, Latin American nations don't spend vast amounts in defence. Border disputes have been mostly settled; the potential for conflicts between states is minimal. But lately this seems to be changing with a number of countries increasing their arms purchase, and Brazil is leading this new arms trade wave in the region.

Brazil recently signed a deal to build four Scorpène submarines and one nuclear submarine with French company DCNS. In addition to aircraft, submarines and other weaponry, Brazil is looking for tech­nology to reinvigorate its own defence industrial base. That's of tantamount importance, said Defence Minister Nelson Jobim. "Our current priority is Brazil's technological empowerment in the defence area, especially in the cyber space and nuclear areas...The first consequence of this policy is the end of bargain acquisitions. Every relevant acquisition, from now on, must include technology transfer and partnership with Brazilian companies... We see our defence not only as a way to face threats, but also as a means to leverage research which will bring new technologies to our military equipment and to the products of our civilian companies...Depending upon international suppliers for strategic items is a strategic vulnerability", Jobim added.

A report by the Dutch Campaign Against Arms Trade on the arms trade in Latin America says that "Brazil stresses that their weapon acquisitions are mostly only meant as a long overdue and necessary modernisation of the material of the military forces. It also points out that it is necessary for the protection of natural resources: the Amazon region and recently discovered oil and gas in front of the coast...These explanations are true in part, but the role that Brazil sees cut out for itself in the international scene seems to be of greater importance here. The country is now trying to get a permanent seat in the UN Security Council and this requires a tougher international image. It also wants to be less dependent on foreign weapon suppliers by creating its own military industrial complex. An important part of contracts with foreign weapon producers thus is the transfer of technology and knowledge. At this moment Brazil is the only country in the region with a substantial weapon export."

Important weapon suppliers for Brazil in the last five years are Germany, Italy, Jordan, Russia, Spain and the US. The biggest deal was made in 2009 with France, for 12 billion dollars. Besides the acquisition of 50 military transport helicopters and 5 submarines (one nuclearly driven), it is all mostly about the transfer of technology.

On Dec. 15, 2008, a 70-page document was signed by President Lula, the Minister of Defense Nelson Jobim, and the head of the Office of Strategic Affairs, Roberto Mangabeira Unger, titled the "National Defence Strategy" The document extends its time scale to the year 2030 and encompasses short-, medium-, and long-term plans and projections in order to "modernize the national defense structure." It incorporates a reorganization of the armed forces, and a restructuring of both the finances and the equipment of the forces. It furthermore insists that defence should focus on three principal components: cybernetics, space, and nuclear.

Despite noting that the Brazilian Constitution prohibits the manufacturing of nuclear weapons, the document stresses the "strategic necessity to develop and control nuclear technology." In the beginning of September, the Brazilian press revealed that Brazil could develop nuclear weapons. The same day Sarkozy arrived in Brazil, the results of a report prepared by the Military Institute of Engineering was leaked which made clear Brazil had the capacity to produce atomic weapons.

The section devoted to the national military defence industry is one of the most important. It stresses the "development of independent technology" with the objective of "progressively eliminating the purchase of imported products and services." It asks the state to help support private arms firms and those still unprofitable but vital components of an industry in development. In return, the state will have the right to exercise a certain control over these private firms, the logic being that the nation's defence is always placed above private interests. This is why, whenever Brazil purchases arms, it demands with it the transfer of technological knowledge. The four conventional submarines and the 50 helicopters Brazil is buying from the French will be manufactured in Brazil. The same will happen with the fighter jets. UNASUR guarantees Brazil the Latin American market and the agreement with the French gives Brazil the exclusive access to the sale of the technology in that market.

Brazil aims to produce the majority of the military hardware it needs. It already has Embraer, the third largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, behind Boeing and Airbus. It also has Helibras, the largest producer of combat helicopters in South America, which is in partnership with EADS of Europe, and currently also makes armored tanks, a certain range of naval ship, airplanes, ammunition, and in the future plans fifth generation fighter jets and submarines. The four submarines purchased from France will be built in the shipyards of Rio.

All these shows how Brazil in its mission to become an international power needs to become also an arms producer power. Brazil has no match in the region and plans on going beyond the region in its political and war profiteering influence.

For more information:

http://www.defesanet.com.br/
http://www.defensenews.com/osd_story.php?i=4036545
Dutch Campaign Against the Arms Trade report on arms trade in Latin America (http://www.stopwapenhandel.org/publicaties/boekenbrochures/wapenwedloop…)
http://www.sipri.org/