Page 20 - NAVAL FORCES 03/2017

Technology Spotlight

Sarosh Bana
Conventional Submarine Markets

Plumbing the Depths of Undersea Warfare

While changing geo-political chal len- German leaders had lobbied hard with Can- with a foreign technology partner. Apart
ges make military imperatives more berra for the HDW Type 216 SSK made by from TKMS pushing for its Type 214, others
pronounced, nations around the globe thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), while vying for the deal will likely be: DCNS for a
seek to strengthen territorial defence, German Defence Minister, Ursula von der modified “Scorpene;” Navantia’s S-80 class;
Leyen, had endorsed the company’s Type 214
Saab Kockums’ A26; Russia’s Central Design
not least by bolstering and revitalising during her India visit in May 2015. Bureau for Marine Engineering ‘Rubin’ for its
their undersea capabilities. “Amur 1650;” and Mitsubishi Heavy Indus-
Indian “Scorpene” tries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries
(KHI) for their jointly produced SORYU sub-
The global submarine market is increa sing This was with an eye to the imminent $12 marine.
in value from a current U$22.8 billion to $36.3 billion tender for six new-generation stealth Submarines are now being qualified as
billion by 2026, 35.3% of it accounted for by diesel-electric submarines for the Indian Navy exceptionally capable special warfare plat-
the conventional diesel-electric hunter/killer (IN), which also has an on-going $3.8 billion forms with increasingly diverse, adaptable
submarine (SSK) segment, according to re- programme for the indigenous construction and client-specific roles. With many navies
search studies. It is also predicted that global of six 1,565t “Scorpene 2000” SSKs under a wishing to replace or replenish their existing
spending on submarine maintenance, repair 2005 Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement undersea fleets, prominent defence contrac-
and overhaul (MRO) will increase from $2.8 with DCNS. India requires its forthcoming tors like those mentioned, as also China Ship-
billion to $3.3 billion in the next ten years. tender to be executed at an identified pub- building Industry Corporation (CSIC), are
However, as submarine design and produc- lic or private shipyard in the country that is adopting smart technologies and autonomous
tion programmes are capital intensive and assessed to have the potential to build mo dern operations built around the cheaper electron-
of long gestation, a few contracts – or even conventional submarines in collaboration ic sensors that are revolutionising the tactical
one for that matter – can debunk all projec- seascape.
tions, as with the $38 billion contract awar- Russia’s “Varshavyanka,” or Improved
ded to DCNS in April 2016 for designing and “Kilo” class submarine, built at St. Petersburg’s
building 12 next-generation submarines for Admiralty Wharf, gained world attention
the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). with its accurate targeting of self proclaimed
Rivalry is intense in this field, in which Islamic State (IS) encampments in Syria with
a handful of submarine manufacturers are the long-range KALIBR cruise missiles, used
chasing relatively few, but often hugely for the first time in combat. There is now a
lucrative, contracts. For the Australian contract, growing requirement to incorporate dedicated
equipment for Special Forces and unmanned
missions into submarine design.
The submarines of the first and second batches
of HDW Class 212A can rightly be called
“the peak of German submarine technology.” Breakthrough Designs
In line with the German basic design concept,
this non-nuclear but air-independent submarine As navies seek increased customisation,
remains compact, with a high payload in the way vendors are offering breakthrough designs or
of sensors, communication equipment,
weapon control systems and weapons. progressively modified platforms. DCNS’s
(Photo: thyssenkrupp Marine Systems) 4,000t Shortfin “Barracuda” Block 1A is

18 NAVAL FORCES III/2017