The return to using an aircraft carrier by the Brazilian Navy would be a desire of President Lula, but it is not viable according to the Squadron Commander.
Currently, the Brazilian Navy only possesses one vessel dedicated to aircraft transport, which is the A-140 NAM Atlântico, a British-origin helicopter carrier used by all naval rotary-wing assets. However, this ship was designed to support the Royal Marines, in a similar manner to how the U.S. supports its marines with their own independent air capabilities.
As such, the A-140 is incapable of hosting aircraft, not even the F-35B Lightning II, which is the only fighter jet in production capable of vertical take-off and landing, known as STOVL.
The last time the Navy operated an actual aircraft carrier was with the A-12 NAe São Paulo, deploying A-4 Skyhawk fighters and, on occasion, Argentine Grumman S-2 Trackers for joint missions.
Furthermore, it was acquired in 2001 but remained operational for only four years, after a 2005 fire prevented it from returning to full operational status. Following this and other subsequent fires, which resulted in the deaths of several sailors, the vessel was moored in Rio de Janeiro for years until its decommissioning in 2018.
Its lack of operational readiness, the fires, and significant pollution generated by its steam propulsion earned it nicknames like Maria Fumaça. Since then, the Navy’s A-4s have only conducted missions from the São Pedro de Aldeia Naval Air Base and other terrestrial airfields.
Now, Lula wishes to see an operational aircraft carrier in the Navy once again, as during his first term. This information was disclosed by the Force Commander himself, Fleet Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, during a live stream on a YouTube channel.
As first reported by the Poder Naval portal, Lula inquired about the possibility of the Navy acquiring an aircraft carrier again, but the Admiral replied that it would not be viable: «If you (Lula) gave me an aircraft carrier today, I would not know how to operate it. I lack the resources for fuel, for maintenance. I necessarily need, despite other sources seeking to acquire the means, the capability to maintain those means.»
The Navy’s main projects currently focus on the construction and incorporation of Scorpène conventional submarines, as well as the development and manufacture of the SN-10, which will be Latin America’s first nuclear submarine, based on the Scorpène design but with modifications and a domestically developed nuclear reactor in Brazil.
Additionally, the Navy is in the process of renewing its frigate fleet, the Tamandaré, which already faces a budget deficit of nearly R$3 billion, as Admiral Olsen himself confirmed in the same interview.
Other projects include updating the Marine Corps’ resources, but officially, there are no plans either for acquiring an aircraft carrier or for purchasing new aircraft, as the Skyhawk is nearing the end of its operational life.
Thus, the Brazilian Navy may once again find itself without fixed-wing capabilities, relying solely on helicopters.
