Internationale ontwikkelingen op onderzeebootgebied.

[Harald]

Indian Navy Floats Tender for Underwater Weapons Systems for its French-Origin Submarines

NEW DELHI --- Months after India's French-origin Scorpene-class submarine started operating without primary underwater weapons systems, the Indian Navy has finally launched a tender worth over $300 million to arm its diesel-electric submarines.

One in six Scorpene-class submarines has been operating for the last two years without heavyweight torpedoes - the primary underwater weapons systems - for attacking and defending against enemy attacks by submarines and surface warships.

"The tender for acquiring around 100 heavyweight torpedoes for Indian Navy submarines was issued 10 days ago by the Defence Ministry," Indian news agency ANI quoted Defence Ministry sources as saying.

Construction of the five remaining Scorpene-class submarines - which are capable of carrying and launching 18 heavyweight torpedoes from the sea - is underway at the Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) shipyard in Mumbai. The Indian Navy has contacted Rosoboronexport of Russia, French Naval Group, German ThyssenKrupp, and Swedish SAAB to bid on supplying 108 heavyweight torpedoes.

The official said that the navy wanted a limited number of heavyweight torpedoes as an immediate requirement, while the long-term bulk requirement would be fulfilled through the 'Make in India' route. The Indian navy signed $170 million in contracts for over 70 heavyweight torpedoes, believed to be for warships, developed by state-funded Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Project 75, under which Scorpene-class submarines are being built with the help of French firm Naval Group (DCNS), had originally envisaged equipping the submarines with Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes as their primary weapons.

However, in June 2016, the Indian government cancelled the $200million deal with Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS), a subsidiary of the Italian arms manufacturer Finmeccanica, due to corruption allegations involving another Finmeccanica subsidiary, Agusta Westland.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/204475/india-floats-tender-for-underwater-weapons-for-scorpene-subs.html

[Huzaar1]

Damen-Saab where are you...

[Parera]

Video: French Navy's New Generation SSN 'Suffren' Launched By Naval Group

Today in Cherbourg, Naval Group launched the Suffren, during a ceremony attended by French President Emmanuel Macron. Suffren is the first of six new generation, Barracuda-type, nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) for the French Navy.

The Suffren-class is designed to replace the Rubis-class in the French Navy (Marine Nationale). Naval Group is in charge of the construction of this submarines series, including the design and construction of the ship and information systems as well as the manufacturing of the main components of nuclear boiler rooms.

Naval Group is the overall prime contractor of the ship's architecture (2 500 people) and TechnicAtome is the prime contractor for the nuclear reactor. The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) is in charge of the overall program, with the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) for the nuclear reactor.

Thales provides the entire sonar suite among other systems:

• MOAS (avoidance sonar)
• Sonar bays
• Interception antenna
• Satellite communication
• Electronic warfare / interceptor systems
• Radio communications
• Multi sensor monitoring
• Flank antennas
• Underwater phone
• Cylindrical antenna

Safran provides the optronic masts and navigation system:

• Serie 30 SOM (surveillance mast)
• Serie 30 AOM (attack mast)
• Serie 10 CSR (radar)
• SIGMA40 XP INS

The mats incorporate advanced image processing, and their sensors and treatments can be upgraded.

The Suffren: a technology and capacity leap
The Suffren is one of the stealthiest submarines over the world. This discretion, combined with its advanced detection capabilities, guarantees its acoustic superiority.

For the first time thanks to the Suffren-class submarines, the French Navy will have a deep strike capability with MBDA's naval cruise missiles (MdCN). The latest generation of SSN also allows the discreet deployment of special forces underwater, in particular thanks to its "divers hatch" and the optional carrying of a dry deck shelter (DDS) allowing for the deployment of underwater vehicles such as the new PSM3G swimmer delivery vehicle. Naval Group will build two DDS for the entire fleet. Fit checks for physical integration were already conducted last week with the Suffren.

More discreet, manoeuvrable and mobile, the Suffren has the latest generation of systems, including a centralized and more automated driving.

We are proud to have presented to the President of the French Republic the first submarine of the Barracuda-class, a symbol of our exceptional know-how and our ability to master the most advanced technologies and the most complex products. The construction of the Suffren is a collective success, the result of a strong cooperation with our long-standing partners: the French Navy and the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), but also the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA), TechnicAtome and all the manufacturers of the sector. Now, we are all focused on finalising the Suffren tests at the shipyard, with the start-up of the nuclear boiler room in the coming weeks, but also on producing the complete series. Maintaining our knowledge and adapting to new technologies are among our main priorities."

Hervé Guillou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group

"To successfully complete this extraordinary project, several thousand women and men worked together, driven by the same values of team spirit and technical excellence. Today, on the occasion of this exceptional ceremony, we are very proud to present our work, which is the result of the extraordinary diversity of our skills."

Vincent Martinot-Lagarde, Director of the Barracuda program at Naval Group

The French Navy vessel called "Suffren", first of the nuclear Barracuda class attack submarines, leaves the workshops of its construction at the Naval Group site in Cherbourg, France, July 5, 2019. Picture taken July 5, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Operational use of Barracuda
Barracuda nuclear attack submarines (SSN) like Suffren are a technological breakthrough enabling France to remain among the leading nations deploying modern and efficient SSN. Barracuda SSN will perform the current missions of nuclear attack submarines effectively:

support to deterrence (protection of SSBN);
control of air and maritime space (security of area);
escort key ships (aircraft carriers);
perform discreet intelligence gathering.
Barracuda SSN will also carry out new missions:

sea-to-land warfare (precision deep strike);
deployment and support of special forces.



Operational capabilities of Barracuda
The Barracuda class SSN will have a 70-day autonomy (compared to 45 currently) and will be able to carry 50% more weapons than its predecessors (including the naval cruise missile, the future F21 heavy-weight torpedo and the SM 39 anti-ship missile).

The Suffren-type SSN will be:

• more mobile thanks to its increased maximum silent speed and the reduced effects of hydrodynamic noise at high speed;
• more manoeuvrable with the X-shaped rudder of the steering gear assembly;
• stealthier with a higher maximum stealth speed, lower weight and consuming less energy with its steam/electric hybrid propulsion system, combining electric motors and propulsion turbines;

and feature cutting-edge systems:
• the most automated central control system ever implemented on a submarine;
• non-penetrating, all-optronic masts with high-definition daytime cameras, infra-red and light intensification cameras, which have replaced the traditional periscope.

Combat system: SYCOPS
As the submarine's nerve centre, it concentrates all the control/command actions designed to implement sensors and deploy weapons in real time. It includes many subsystems (sonar, radar, navigation, weapons etc.) providing search and combat capabilities above and beneath the surface of the sea. It offers extended operational capabilities:

• underwater detection resulting from the modernisation of nuclear ballistic submarines;
• electronic navigation aid software;
• search optronic mast and non-penetrating optronic attack mast replacing
conventional (optical) periscopes;
• a weapons payload twice that of Rubis-class SSN;
• tactical data communications ensuring its interoperability and transmitted by an upgraded communications systems.

Both a prototype and first of series, the combat system is produced in three phases:

• design (sites of Toulon-Ollioules, Bagneux, Angoulême-Ruelle, Cherbourg and Saint-Tropez);
• functional integration at the Toulon Shore Integration Facilites;
• installation start-up and functional testing on board Suffren, first alongside, then at sea.

Nuclear Naval Reactor : mounting of the steam generator for initiating the test phase © TechnicAtome, with the authorization of the CEA.

Barracuda nuclear reactor
The nuclear reactor transmits the energy of the core, via its Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS), to the turbo-generators and propulsion turbine, supplying the ship with electrical energy and enabling its propulsion.

The specific design of naval nuclear reactors is well suited to the propulsion of submarines:

• highly compact allowing their integration into a restricted environment;
• a high degree of nuclear safety meeting military use requirements;
• a very high level of radiological protection enabling the crew to live near the reactor.

The Barracuda-class submarines feature new generation innovations with an even greater reactor availability (10 years between refueling compared to 5 with the preceding Rubis-class), increased core energy capacity and expanded nuclear safety assurance.

The new nuclear boiler of the Barracuda, based on the K15 (onboard SSBN and the Aircraft Carrier) weights 400 tons and is very compact, allowing naval architect to design a very compact SSN.

Maintenance was taken into account right from the submarine design stage in order to limit the frequency and duration of maintenance:
• Mid-Cycle Docking (MCD) limited to 10 weeks per year;
• Full-Cycle Docking (FCD) around every 10 years.

The French Navy vessel called "Suffren", first of the nuclear Barracuda class attack submarines, leaves the workshops of its construction at the Naval Group site in Cherbourg, France, July 5, 2019. Picture taken July 5, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The technical characteristics of the Suffren-class submarines
Surface displacement: 4,700 tonnes
Diving displacement: 5,300 tonnes
Length: 99 metres
Diameter: 8.8 metres
Maximum depth: > 350 meters
Armament: naval cruise missiles, F21 heavy-weight wire-guided torpedoes, modernised Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles
Hybrid propulsion: pressurised water reactor derived from the reactors on board the Triomphant-type SSBN and Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, two propulsion turbines, two turbo generators and two electric motors
Crew: 65 crew members + approx. 15 commandos
Availability: > 270 days per year
Suffren is set to hit the water by the end of July 2019. It will start sea trials in the first quarter 2020. First around Cherbourg (where the first static diving will be conducted), then in Brest area (for deep diving tests) and finally in Toulon area (in the late summer/early fall of 2020) for tests of the weapon systems. Commissioning by the French Navy should take place in late 2020.

[Source: Navalnews.com ]

[Poleme]

Waarom niet de ontwikkeling weer oppakken van de diesel versie, lijk me handiger omdat diesel je basis brandstof is.  Anders ben je 2 typen brandstof nodig.

Deze CCD AIP heeft NL in het verleden, ca 30 jaar terug, ook getest .

Toen men begin jaren 90 besloot om de Zwaardvis klasse niet te gaan vervangen.  Betekende dat ook dat Nederlandse bedrijven die betrokken waren bij de bouw van KM onderzeeboten, stopten met investeringen doen in onderzoeken naar nieuwe technologieën en technieken t.b.v. nieuwe generaties onderzeeboten.  Want geen markt meer voor.

Enkele weken geleden sprak ik oud-RDM en ex-Rietschoten & Houwens medewerkers.  Ze konden zich nog de bouw van de Walrus klasse herinneren, mooie verhalen.
Ze hadden het over de "geïntegreerde brug" voor de KM, die daarna toegepast kon worden op dure jachten.
Toen R & H werd overgenomen door Imtech, veranderde voor de R & H veteranen de bedrijfscultuur.  Bij Imtech hadden managers met 'puntschoenen en een luchtje op' te veel invloed op de werkvloer en in dit bedrijf 'klopten een aantal zaken niet'.
  Een flink aantal R & H gangers werden weggewerkt, overgeplaatst, of ze gingen uit zich zelf weg, want ze werden gek van de 'puntschoenen'.
Wat raar dat Imtech op de fles ging.

Velen kwamen weer in de (super)jachten-bouw; bagger-, en off-shore sector en zelfs Fokker (Stork) Aircraft.  Maar ze waren het wel unaniem over eens, dat er veel marine-scheepsbouw kennis verloren is gegaan.

[Harald]

IMDS-2019: Malachite Bureau to Present P-750B Sub with Closed-Cycle Gas Turbine

http://mil.today/2019/23464/

Waarom niet de ontwikkeling weer oppakken van de diesel versie, lijk me handiger omdat diesel je basis brandstof is.  Anders ben je 2 typen brandstof nodig.

Deze CCD AIP heeft NL in het verleden, ca 30 jaar terug, ook getest .

[Parera]

IMDS-2019: Malachite Bureau to Present P-750B Sub with Closed-Cycle Gas Turbine

http://mil.today/2019/23464/

Gasturbine voor een onderzeeboot

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

IMDS-2019: Malachite Bureau to Present P-750B Sub with Closed-Cycle Gas Turbine

http://mil.today/2019/23464/

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Japan's Next Generation Submarines

https://i-hls.com/archives/92743

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Stealth Suprise: Is Japan's New Submarine a Game Changer? 

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/stealth-suprise-japans-new-submarine-game-changer-65611

[Poleme]

Er is wat voor te zeggen om je onderzeedienst serieus uit te breiden met bemande en onbemande boten zeker voor een eiland wat het Australische continent tenslotte is. Het verpatsen van AAW destroyers vind ik dan weer niet zo'n handig idee. Misschien zou een combinatie van onderzeeboten en arsenaal schepen (met aanzienlijke hoeveelheden AAW middelen) een interessant gegeven zijn....

In de aanstaande wereld van hypersoon en andere "speeltjes" denk ik wel eens dat we ook de rol van onze KM een tegen het licht zouden moeten houden...

12 onderzeeboten aangevuld met 4-6 arsenaal schepen, bijvoorbeeld op basis van het JSS, met heel veel VLS cellen aangevuld met kleine(re) maar zwaar bewapende fregatten voor lokale operaties.

Goodday mate, Hugh White is talking big big bullocks.  (Aussie slang for: Hughy leutert uit zijn nek.)

Landstrijdkrachten gaan uit het van het begrip "verbonden wapen" of "combined arms team".  (Pantser)infanterie, artillerie, cavalerie hebben elk hun sterke en zwakke kanten.
Bijvoorbeeld alleen tanks inzetten zonder painf, genie en artillerie gaat tot (zeer) grote verliezen leiden.  Dus ga je de verschillende wapenvakken gecombineerd inzetten.
Dat zal er toe leiden dat de gehele som dan groter wordt dan de som der afzonderlijke delen.

Bij zeestrijdkrachten geldt hetzelfde.  Een doeltreffende zeemacht bestaat uit een triade van diverse oppervlakte-schepen, onderzeedienst en een Marine Luchtvaart Dienst met helikopters en Maritieme patrouillevliegtuigen (MARPATS).

Jij hebt het vaak over de dreiging van hypersonische wapens (< mach 5).  Ja, dat zijn indrukwekkende wapens.  Maar dat zijn zeer laag vliegende hoog subsonische (ca. 0,9 Mach) anti schip raketten die terminale manoeuvres uitvoeren van 10 G tot misschien wel 30 G.  Deze laatst genoemde categorie is even of misschien wel moeilijker te onderscheppen dan de hypersonische missiles.  Hoe snel of hoe wendbaar een missile ook is, dat ding is afhankelijk van een geleiding systeem en dat kan gestoord worden.

Een arsenaal schip heeft natuurlijk een enorme vuurkracht.  Maar oorlogvoeren / slagkracht = ten eerste manoeuvreren, + ten tweede vuurkracht.

De Australische marine gaat in de toekomst van 6 Collins subs naar 12 Attack onderzeeboten.  De oppervlakte-vloot speerpunt gaat ook bestaan uit 12 eenheden:
3 Hobart AWD (AAW) fregatten en 9 (Type 26) Hunter ASW klasse.  Bij hun MLD kiezen ze voor een combinatie van bemande P-8A Poseidon MARPATS en onbemande MQ-4C Tritons hoogvliegende surveillance UAV's.   Structureel meer onderzeeboten dus in deze goede mix.  Kosten naar verhouding (veel) meer dan oppervlakte schepen, maar daar staat per boot ook relatief meer slagkracht tegenover een fregat of destroyer en de sub kan toe met een veel kleinere bemanning.

[Huzaar1]

Als ze dat gaan doen zullen ze sub pens moeten bouwen.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Hugh White calls for Australia to scrap ships and build more submarines (wat als de Royal Australian Navy hoofdzakelijk onderzeeërs zou hebben)

Er is wat voor te zeggen om je onderzeedienst serieus uit te breiden met bemande en onbemande boten zeker voor een eiland wat het Australische continent tenslotte is. Het verpatsen van AAW destroyers vind ik dan weer niet zo'n handig idee. Misschien zou een combinatie van onderzeeboten en arsenaal schepen (met aanzienlijke hoeveelheden AAW middelen) een interessant gegeven zijn....

In de aanstaande wereld van hypersoon en andere "speeltjes" denk ik wel eens dat we ook de rol van onze KM een tegen het licht zouden moeten houden...

12 onderzeeboten aangevuld met 4-6 arsenaal schepen, bijvoorbeeld op basis van het JSS, met heel veel VLS cellen aangevuld met kleine(re) maar zwaar bewapende fregatten voor lokale operaties.

[Sparkplug]

Hugh White calls for Australia to scrap ships and build more submarines (wat als de Royal Australian Navy hoofdzakelijk onderzeeërs zou hebben)

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/hugh-white-calls-for-australia-to-scrap-ships-and-build-more-submarines/

[Sparkplug]

Japan begins development of next-generation attack submarines

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/maritime-antisub/4306-japan-begins-development-of-next-generation-attack-submarines

[Parera]

Via @WarshipPorn

Zuid Koreaanse ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho (SS-083), een Diesel Electrische onderzeeboot met capaciteit voor 6 Ballistische raketten of kruisraketten. Dik idee voor de vOZB's die VLS!.
De volgende batch die Korea gaat bouwen krijgt 10 VLS cellen.