A Base Industrial de Defesa Brasileira: limitações e desafios relativos à disponibilidade de motores diesel empregados em meios navais da Marinha do Brasil

Abstract

Brazil, despite having favorable conditions for its development, remains in a situation of technological dependence in several sectors. In this context, the present Study was carried out, referring to the Limitations and Challenges related to the availability of Diesel Engines for application in the Propulsion and Power Generator Sets used in the Navy of the Brazilian Navy (MB), with the objective of identifying the current dependency situation , the causes, limitations and challenges, and proposals for its mitigation, being admitted as an initial hypothesis that: “The unavailability of Engines [...] can be mitigated [...], preliminarily exploring the possibilities of Offset, specifically those associated with Technology Transfer (ToT) for the manufacture of components of the equipment in question in Brazil; and [...] the establishment of Policies and Strategies for the development and production of National Engines ”. Considering the specificity of the subject, in addition to the literary review, an Exploratory Research was carried out involving consultation with representatives of the Ministry of Defense, MB Military Organizations, Academies, Class Associations and Companies, and Professionals with notable experience and knowledge in relation to said equipment, about: the possibility of dual use and the current level of technological dependence on this equipment; the effectiveness of the practice of Offset in absorbing technology; and on the possible, causes, limitations and challenges, and proposals to mitigate the problems found. In summary, the research revealed: the possibility of dual use of Motors; the low levels of nationalization of its components and the confirmation of the situation of Technological Dependence; the reduced demand scale for engines and their components; the level of technological complexity of the equipment and the lack of investments in S&T and R&D, as the most significant causes related to dependence; the insufficiency of the Offset clauses in relation to the claims regarding the absorption of technology; identified as limiting factors of greater influence those related to Services and the Specificity of Engines and, in relation to challenges, the most expressive factors were those related to Services, Policy, Planning, Management and the IDB, concluding Engine Maintenance Training is the biggest Limitation and Challenge for reducing the current level of unavailability and dependence. With regard to the Proposals for mitigating the identified problems, those related to IDB, Policy, Planning and Management, and Maintenance were found to be the most relevant, accompanied, in a second level, by those related to Training, Contracts and Offset, noting the predominance of proposals related to: IDB Strengthening and Capacity Building prioritizing the national production of components and maintenance inputs and, in a second level, the establishment of a national industry for the manufacture of diesel engines; the establishment of continued development policies and the improvement of high-level and maintenance strategies and planning; and the proper maintenance of the installed equipment, indicating the prioritization of initiatives aimed at technological development to maintain the availability of this equipment