Amazônia Azul Tecnologias de Defesa SA (Amazul) participates in Ridex BID Brasil 2018 (Rio International Defense Exhibition), a major fair in the areas of defense, security and offshore. Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados (Nuclep) and Amazul opened a booth in which it displays mock-ups of a nuclear submarine, a reactor and the fuel element.
According to Paulo Ricardo Médiciv, general business coordinator of Amazul, with its participation in Ridex, the company intends to publicize its projects and activities, maintain contacts with companies and institutions and prospect partnerships that may contribute to increase ProSub’s nationalization index.
Established in 2013, Amazul, a company linked to the Ministry of Defense, through the Navy Command of Brazil, aims to promote, develop, transfer and maintain technologies sensitive to the activities of the Marine Nuclear Program (PNM), the Development Program Submarinos (ProSub) and the Brazilian Nuclear Program (PNB).
The company’s primary mission is to develop and apply technologies and manage projects and processes necessary for the development of the nuclear-powered submarine (SN-BR), and contributing to the country’s technological independence. In this sense, its creation was motivated to reach some of the objectives set out in the National Defense Strategy, which is part of the National Development Strategy.
The explanatory memorandum that accompanied the Amazul’s bill to create a new project highlights the fact that the success of the PNB, and especially of the PNM, depends on the capacity to preserve the knowledge already acquired and on a continuous effort in a training program for the nuclear sector. The constitution of Amazul, according to the project, was the alternative found for the maintenance of existing personnel, as well as the attraction of new highly qualified specialists, to preserve knowledge.
With around 1,900 employees, Amazul also participates in the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor project (RMB), in partnership with Cnen – National Nuclear Energy Commission and Ipen – Nuclear and Energy Research Institute. The RMB has the purpose of producing radioisotopes, used in the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer. In addition, the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor, which will be installed next to the Nuclear Industrial Center of Aramar (CINA), in Iperó (SP), will serve for scientific research, testing of nuclear materials and other applications.
Amazul participates in the Navy’s Nuclear Program, which aims to train Brazil in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle, an objective already achieved, and in the development of a nuclear power generation plant, including the construction of a nuclear submarine.
The company’s employees work on the projects of the – Centro Tecnológico da Marinha in São Paulo (CTMSP), with the dual purpose of producing nuclear fuel and designing, constructing, commissioning, operating and maintaining Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) reactors. The technology could be used in the generation of electric power, either for naval propulsion of submarines, or to supply electrricty to a city.
Currently, the Nuclear Power Generation Labgene is the first nuclear power reactor to be designed and built entirely by Brazilians and will act as a prototype on the ground of propulsion of the future Brazilian nuclear submarine. This facility will also allow the training of future crews of the nuclear submarine.
Amazul also participates in projects carried out by the Coordination-General of the Submarine Development Program with Nuclear Propulsion (Cogesn), such as the Shipyard and Naval Base of Itaguaí (RJ) and the construction of conventional and nuclear submarines. Amazul helps develop the integrated platform control system, the combat system and the detailing of the nuclear-powered submarine.
The submarine with nuclear propulsion (SN-BR) will be part of the Blue Amazon Management System (SISGAAz), a Navy project to control the South Atlantic area known as the Blue Amazon, a reference to the Green Amazon for its vast extension, its riches incalculable and its strategic importance.
