Brasilia, Sep 8 (EFE) Brazil and France have signed a major arms pact worth billions of dollars that includes transfer of key military technologies, building of submarines and purchase of helicopters.

The agreement was sealed after a meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva here Monday.

The pact will allow the two countries to share key military technologies, including building of five submarines, one of which is nuclear-powered, in the country, as well as the purchase of 50 EC-725 helicopters by Brazil.

The deal, estimated at about $12.3 billion, will be executed by 2021.