Brazil’s $12 Billion in Military Purchases from France Aimed at Building an Arms IndustryJanuary 05, 2009

 

Brazil has signed a defense agreement with France, estimated at $12 billion, which will provide Brazil with the technology to build its own arms industry.

As part of the agreement Brazil purchased 50 helicopters and four conventional submarines, and will also get Latin America's first nuclear submarine. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the country's military is shifting its focus to protecting the Amazon and its massive off-shore oil reserves, according to Reuters.

Brazil, the region's largest country, has noted the increase in military spending by its neighbors -- Venezuela recently began an overhaul of its military with arms purchases from Russia, for example.

Brazil hopes to become Latin America's main defense and aerospace supplier, and the main reason for its deal with France was to gain knowledge to develop its own arms industry, Lula said.

"We need to be clear that giving importance to the armed forces is all about Brazil gaining technological know-how and that's exactly what France is offering us," said Lula.

Some defense industry analysts criticized Brazil's choice of France as its main military supplier, according to Reuters. American or Russian technology might be better suited for Brazil's continent sized territory, according to these analysts.

But Brazil may have chosen France as a compromise, wanting neither to be dependent on the United States for technology nor to alienate Washington by choosing Russia.