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Chile Surprises and Matches Powers Like France and the United Kingdom in Ballistic Submarines, Consolidating Its Naval Strength with Investments in Technology and Defense Industry.
Chile surprised military and economic analysts by reaching an unprecedented level on the global stage. According to the 2025 ranking from Military Watch, the country has matched France and the United Kingdom in the number of operational ballistic submarines.
It has also surpassed larger economies, such as Germany and North Korea, consolidating its position among the world’s leading fleets.
The Chilean advancement is not limited to numbers. It is the result of a consistent policy of strategic investment in defense, technology and shipbuilding industry. With four cutting-edge submarines, the Chilean Navy stands out for its operational capacity and ongoing modernization.
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China is designing a container ship with a thorium nuclear reactor that will operate for 40 years without refueling, and the 25,000-container giant from Jiangnan Shipyard will cross oceans without emitting carbon in an industry that burns 300 million tons of fuel per year.
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An entire boat came out of the 3D printer without a mold and without seams: CEAD’s giant robot creates hulls up to 12 meters in a single piece, replacing months of shipyard work with code and putting shipbuilding on the brink of a turning point that seems like science fiction.
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The “dock ship” that deliberately sinks to swallow superyachts like toys: Yacht Servant is 214 meters long, 46 meters wide, has a 6,380 m² deck, and uses float-on/float-off operation to transform maritime luxury into a semi-submersible parking lot.
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The French titanium submarine that descends where the light disappears: Nautile carries three people to a depth of 6,000 meters, reaches 97% of the ocean floor, and has already investigated the Titanic, underwater volcanoes, and regions that remain inaccessible to most vessels on the planet.
The current fleet consists of two Thomson-class submarines (Type 209/1400), manufactured in Germany, and two Scorpène-class submarines, developed in partnership between the Spanish Navantia and France’s Naval Group.
These acquisitions are part of a long-term plan that involved significant investments in technology, maritime infrastructure, and industrial innovation, focusing on the shipyards of Talcahuano, the country’s main naval base.
In addition to enhancing national security, the naval program has boosted strategic sectors of the economy. The shipbuilding industry, mechanical engineering, and high-tech services have gained strength, generating specialized jobs and fostering international partnerships.
In the Latin American context, Chile now surpasses Brazil, whose submarine fleet is considered less developed in this category.
On the global stage, only the United States, with 14 units, Russia, with 11, and China, with 6, exceed the Chilean count of ballistic submarines.
Chile’s macroeconomic stability has been crucial in enabling these defense investments. The strategy enhances the country’s sovereignty over important maritime routes, strengthens foreign trade, and projects the image of a secure and technologically advanced nation.
With defense increasingly connected to innovation, Chile has transformed its military sector into a strategic economic asset, elevating its presence both regionally and globally.
With information from Revista Economia.
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