The Swan's Claws: The Brazilian Navy's Ambitious Plan to Become the World's Ninth Most Powerful Fleet

THE PLANS OF THE BRAZILIAN NAVAL FORCE AND THE SCENARIOS UNREVEALED BY THE MEDIA The objectives of the Brazilian admirals are to establish a naval force of strategic value, capable not only of protecting the country's coastline or defending its oil platforms, but also of guaranteeing Brazilians access to mineral exploration on the seabed in international waters of the South Atlantic and cooperating in the fight against maritime piracy off the west coast of Africa. The text by experienced journalist Roberto Lopes – author of revealing works on the Brazilian arms industry and the Falklands War – reveals the main plans of the "White Swan" (the bird that gives its name to the corporation's anthem) and also describes embarrassing situations little reported by the media, such as the aircraft carrier purchased from France that is unable to sail and the frigate that is being "cannibalized" so that others of the same type can operate. A landmark report, courageous, informative, and questioning. • Roberto Lopes holds a degree in Defense Management and Planning from the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies at the National Defense University in the United States. A specialist in South American diplomacy and military affairs, he gained international attention in January 2014 when he revealed the London government's pressure on the Israeli aircraft industry to prevent the supply of modern fighter jets to Argentina's military aviation. • He is the author of *The Code of the Depths*, published by Civilização Brasileira, about the role of Argentine submarines in the Falklands conflict. He lives in the interior of São Paulo, where he runs a documentation center.