Operações Navais no Século XXI: tarefas básicas do poder naval para a proteção da Amazônia Azul

Abstract

The perspective for twenty-first century indicates that the importance of the sea tends to increase as a result of globalization, particularly the development of global maritime trading system. Brazil’s future is closely related to the sea. Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters have enormous economic potential and strategic importance, while Brazilian Navy is responsible for ensuring its security and defense. Due to the large size, wealth and vulnerability of these waters, they are now known as to the Blue Amazon, in a reference to the Amazon region, equally great, rich and vulnerable, and the blue waters of the sea. The priority of defense and security of Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters was ratified by the National Defense Strategy, signed in 2008. The concepts, principles and Missions of the Navy are indicated at Brazilian Naval Basic Doctrine, whose current version was issued in 2004, therefore, prior to the guidelines from National Defense Strategy. This work has investigated the naval operations in the twenty-first century, in order to verify whether the current missions are still appropriate for the protection of Blue Amazon and, if necessary, to suggest a new set of Missions. For this purpose, our activities started with researches on basics concepts of use of naval power, as well as on the origins and development of the Missions in Brazilian Navy and other major navies worldwide. Then, we carried out an analysis on the strategic demands of the Blue Amazon, as well as on trends for future use of the naval power. Finally, on the grounds of the knowledge obtained in the work, we verified a need to rethink the current formulation of the Brazilian Navy’s Missions. Then, a new set of Missions was suggested. This proposal should contribute to improve the readiness of Brazilian Naval Power, thus strengthening the defense of national interests in the Blue Amazon throughout this century.