Brazil's new nuclear subs to defend oil wells

https://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/07/20117221317367952...

Defensive, not aggressive, intentions

As Santoro recalls, Brazil has historical reasons to pursue this technology. The country joined in the First and Second World Wars because of German submarine attacks on Brazil's merchant navy in the South Atlantic, at a time when Brazil had no means of defending itself.

Moreover, as naval officers in Brazil never tire of arguing, the 1982 Malvinas-Falkland Islands war between the UK and Argentina would have had a different outcome if Argentina had had a fleet of nuclear submarines to back up its claim to the islands.

"From a strategic point of view, they are probably a navy's most effective defensive weapon," Santoro said.