Material for Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Defense: a strategic opportunity for the brazilian defense economy in times of Covid-19

Abstract

This article aims to verify how the use of the Armed Forces (FA) logistical structure in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (DQBRN) actions can promote the strengthening of the Defense Industrial Base (IDB). For this, bibliographical and documental researches were carried out, concentrating on works that approached themes that presented the participation of Brazilian AF in actions of a DQBRN nature, with a focus on the logistics used to confront Covid-19. It was possible to verify that the pandemic brought, in addition to problems in various expressions of national power, opportunities for the industry to take advantage of the flexibility, reach and capillarity capabilities of the FA when using its logistics for the production and distribution of items for the coping with the Covid-19 threat. To reach this conclusion, we sought to identify how the FA acquired expertise in DQBRN, what is the current status of their participation in actions to confront Covid-19 and what is the prospective scenario for the actors involved in the development and production of items destined to DQBRN. It is clear that, rather than reflecting on this issue, the State must act in the sense that hostile actions involving CBRN elements, natural or man-made, can be mitigated with the appropriate response and this will only be truly possible with the increase in Brazilian Defense Industrial Base through the adhesion of society with its necessary influence on politics, laws and economy.