SUBMARINE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Reprinted with permission from AMI HOT NEWS; an internet publication AMI International, PO Box 30, Bremerton. Washington, 98337.

From the January 2007 Issue

TURKEY

Submarine Force – Construction In, Modernization Out A. New Type Submarine Project:

On 28 December 2006, the Turkish Under secretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) issued a Request for Proposal (RfP) for the acquisition of six Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarines for the New Type Submarine Project (AMI Project Report Future AIP Submarine dtd January 2006). The closing date for the purchase of the RfP was 31 January 2007. A decision on the preferred supplier will probably occur no later than 2008 as the Turkish Navy has scheduled the first submarine to enter service in 2013.

The RfP release follows a 29 March 2006 Request for Information (Rfl) that was posted in order to gather administrative, financial and technical information from companies willing to participate in the program. The closing date for the Rf I was 15 May 2006 in which there were 26 respondents including:

Armaris of France
Tubitak-Mam of Turkey
Aydin Tazilim ve Elektronik Sanayii AS of Turkey
Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace of Norway
Kollmorgen Corporation of the US
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors of the US
Calzoni Submarine Systems Department of Italy
Rafael Armament Development of Authority of lsrael
BMT Defense Services of the UK
Aspire Consulting of the UK
Gate Elektronik San Tic of Turkey
Israel Aerospace Industries of Israel
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany
Milsoft Yazilim Teknolojileri of Germany
Fincantieri Cantieri Navali of Italy
Rohde & Schwartz of Germany
Selex Kominikasyon of Turkey
Navantia of Spain
Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei of Italy
Thales Systems of France
Aselsan of Turkey
Roketsan of Turkey
Lockheed Martin Sippican of the US
EADS Astrium Limited of the UK
Elbit Systems of Israel

Of the 26 respondents to the Rfl, all will most likely submit responses (either independently or as part of a team to the RtP including the four major shipbuilding entities of Armaris, HDW, Navantia and Fincantieri. As in the past with Turkish submarine programs, Istanbul and Golcuk shipyards can be expected to do the majority of the work with the foreign supplier providing design, construction and integration assistance for the program as well as the majority of the subsystems (engineering, electronics, weapons etc) on the submarines.

Although the Turkish Navy has historically utilized German solutions for its submarine programs, it is apparently investigating all of its potential options before making a decision on the preferred supplier for the New Type Submarine.

B. Atilay Class Submarine Modernization Program:

In mid-January 2006, AMI received information that the modernization program for the Atilay class submarine has been cancelled. The modernization of the four units (BA TIRA Y, YILDIRA Y, DOGANA Y and DO LUNA Y) was expected to start in 2007 at a cost of around US$200M. It appears that the Turkish Navy made the decision to forego the modernization program at this time in order to fund the New Type Submarine Project that will likely begin in 2008.

AMI’s sources indicate that the modernization program for the Atitay class was terminated in mid-December 2006 just prior to the release of the RfP for the six new construction submarines. With the Turkish Submarine Force already at fourteen units, it can be anticipated that the new submarines will begin replacing the oldest units of the Atilay class when they begin entering service in 2013.

PORTUGAL

Naval Update 2007

In early January 2007, AMI International received updated information regarding several on-going projects of the Portuguese Navy(PN):

A. Type 209PN Submarine: According to the PN, the first U209PN that was ordered from ThyssenKrupp Marine on 21 April 2004 will be delivered to the sea service in February 2010 followed by unit two in September of the same year. This is about six months later than originally anticipated.

The AIP submarines will be equipped with the WASS Black Shark torpedoes and according to PN sources, may also be equipped with the lnterative Defense and Attack System for Submarines (IDAS) (developed by Diehl/HDW/Kongsberg) as well as the submarine-launched Harpoon missile.

IDAS, based on the IRIS-T air-to-air missile, is a fiber-optic guided missile that can be launched while the vessel is submerged in order to engage anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. The missile has a reported range of 20km (12.4 miles) and is carried four per torpedo tube in a revolving launcher.

In addition to evaluating the possibility of these two weapon systems, the PN is also analyzing the possibility of procuring a third unit of the class. As always, funding will be the driving factor as to whether a third unit will actually be built. With a total defense budget of around €28 (US$2.58B), it will be extremely difficult to fund the additional unit if the PN is to continue forward with its other planned programs. However, if the third unit is approved, it can be expected that unit three would be commissioned around 2013 equating to a 2007 or early 2008 order date.

B. NP0-2000 Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV): In June 2006, AMI reported that the first two units of the NP0-2000 class were launched in October 2005 and were scheduled for commissioning in 2006. However, AMI’s sources continue to report problems with the program. It is now anticipated that the original two units of the class will commission by the close of2007 and the six (down from eight) follow-on units that were to start construction beginning in 2007 will be delayed by an additional 18 months. The original plan for a total of ten units has been trimmed to eight in order to help finance the two Karel Doorman class frigates that will be delivered to the PN in 2008 and 2009.

The delays in the program have been caused by problems in the Estaleilos Navais Viana do Castelo (ENVC) Shipyard, which is the main contractor for the program. In total, it appears that only eight OPV swill be delivered under this program and the delivery schedule will slip to the right with the final units not entering service until around 2013. The delays in the OPV program are now beginning to raise flags within Portugal. What was once considered the premier naval yard in Portugal is now being questioned especially in light of other programs planned for the yard such as the naval transport dock (LPD). Prior to the problems of the NPO 2000 OPVs, there had been talk of ENVC being part of a consortium for international defense projects, similar to the FREMM program between Italy and France.

FRANCE – Barracuda Submarine Program Underway

On 22 December 2006, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) formally announced they had awarded an initial €1B (US$ l .3B) contract to Direction des Construction Navales (DCN) group and partner Areva-TA for the construction and delivery of six Barracuda class new generation nuclear powered attack submarines (SSN). The total contract for the class of six SSNs is estimated to be approximately €88 (US$ I 0.4B) including through-life support during the first five years of operational service.

The first unit will begin construction at DCNs Cherbourg yard (current builder of the Le Triomphant class SSBNs) in 2008 with commissioning in 2013. Units two and three will probably commission in 2014 and 2015. A second batch of three units (4-6) will probably be funded in 2010 under MPL 2009-2014. Unit four will probably begin construction at DCN in 2011 with commission-ing in 2016 followed by unit five in 2017 and unit six in 2018.

The new SSN will be far more than a mere follow-on to the existing Rubis Amethyste class. Rather, the Barracuda class will be a completely new design, larger than its predecessor (displacing 4,000 tons vice the 2,670 tons of the Rubis Amethyste class); and possessing improved stealth characteristics, a deeper diving capability, and improved combat systems.

The class will be armed with dual-purpose heavyweight torpe-does (probably a follow-on to the current ECAN L5 Mod 3) and submarine-launched SM 39 Exocet ASMs. Additionally, MBDA is developing a submarine launched version of the Naval SCALP land attack cruise missile for launch from torpedo tubes. The missiles are scheduled to reach the production state in 2007 and will be incorpo-rated in the Barracuda class.

UNITED STATES

Contracts for Ninth and Tenth Virginia Complete

On 28 December 2006, the US Navy awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a US$1.3 B contract modification that provides funding for the ninth Virginia class submarine and advance procurement for the tenth ship of the class. The award modifies the August 2003 contract for the construction of six Virginia class submarine at a rate of one per year from Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 through FY 2008 bringing the total value of the contract to US$8.4B. The latest modification provides US$1.1 B for construction of SSN-782 and US$ I 75.2M in advance procurement for SSN-783.

To date, three units have been commissioned and three additional units are currently under construction at Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman’s Newport News with one additional unit (seven) to start in 2007 and one (unit eight) in 2008. Although the program has been running smoothly since the first commissioning in 2004, the true test for the Virginia program will come in 2012 when the Navy intends to begin funding two units per year.

UNITED STATES

Rough Waters for Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

On 12 January 2007, the US Navy ordered Lockheed Martin to stop work on the second of it’s two-ship Littoral Combat Ships. The stop work order was placed for 90 days in order for the US Navy Program Management Assistance Group (PMAG) to conduct a review of the cost increases that the program is experiencing.

The PMAG (made up of NA VSEA, SUPSHIP, and OPNA V) will investigate how the cost of USS FREEDOM (LCS-1) (the first LCS constructed by the Lockheed Martin team) increased so significantly beyond the CAfV (Cost As an Independent Variable) target of the contract. Initial assessments are expected to be provided during the first week of February 2007.

AMI has tracked the LCS program since it’s inception. In June of 2003 AMI International was quoted in a National Defense Magazine article (http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2003/Jun/Navys _Littoral.htm) stating that a realistic price range for the Littoral combat Ship was somewhere between US$300M and US$350M. A realistic CAfV would have been US$280M to US$320M. These figures were based on a brief comparative assessment of the costs associated with ongoing corvette programs worldwide and those of the Littoral Combat Ship RfP.

The US Navy Acquisition Leader -NAVSEA -was driven to lower naval shipbuilding costs and therefore invoked a CAfV target. The problem was that their CAfV was unrealistically low, especially given their push for such complex requirements (high-speed). During AM I’s assessment of past and current corvette programs costs, AMI uncovered that no ship had ever been built that met the stringent requirements of the Littoral Combat ship RfP. So comparative costs estimates had to be modified based on the additional costs of the speed requirements.

The US Navy needs to come to grips with what it really costs to build complex surface combatants! AMI Intemational’s past studies on worldwide naval shipbuilding (results presented in London in November 2005) has shown that for complex surface combatants, the majority of costs are in the ships systems. Therefore reducing requirements as well as the complexity of systems, is where cost savings will truly be gained.

The US Navy would do itself a favor by performing an in-depth comparative assessment of its naval ship design and construction capabilities with other nations in order that they would have a clearer respect for the strengths and capabilities that exist here in the U.S AMI’s initial assessment demonstrates that the US is within a 10% cost window (total ship cost) of other worldwide leaders in surface combatant construction, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and even South Korea.

DID YOU KNOW?

United Kingdom -On 07 February 2007, steel will be cut for the fourth Royal Navy (RN) Astute class submarine at BAE System’s Barrow Shipyard in the United Kingdom.

Japan -On 06 November 2006, the eleventh Oyashio class subma-rine, MOCHISHIO, was launched from Kawasaki Shipyard in Kobe Japan.

United States -In December2006, the Los Angeles class submarine USS HYMAN G RICKOVER (SSN-709) was decommissioned.

From the February 2007 Issue

UNITED STATES

2008 Budget and 30-Year Shipbuilding Plan

On 05 February 2007, President Bush released his proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 budget request. Of the proposed US$481.4B defense budget, which is an increase of 11.3% (US$49B) over FY 2007, the US Navy (USN) is slated to receive a total of US$119.3B. The US$119.3B proposed for the Navy is a 9% increase over last year and of this amount, US$14.4B will be for the procurement of new ships for the sea service. A total of seven ships will be procured in FY 2008, which will include one CVN-21 (Gerald R. Ford class) aircraft carrier, one Virginia class submarine, one San Antonio class Landing Platform Dock (LPD), one Lewis & Clark class T-AKE, and three Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

According to the Navy’s six year Future Year Defense Plan (FYDP) (FY 2008-FY 2013) the USN plans on procuring a total of 67 new construction ships. Under this FYDP, the Navy would acquire seven ships beginning in FY 2008 (as listed above) and increase to 11 in FY 2009, 12 in FY 2010 and 13 vessels in FY 2011 before dropping to 12 in both FY 2012 and FY 2013. From the proposed budget ofUS$14.4B in FY 2008, the Navy’s Shipbuilding and Conversion (SCN) budget would need to increase to approxi-mately US$ l 7 .58 by FY 2013 to meet these goals.

Along with the submittal of the proposed defense budget, Navy Secretary Donald Winter approved the latest update to the Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan. The shipbuilding plan sets the stage for the Navy’s goal of attaining a 313-ship fleet by FY 2020. Although the USN has a ship force requirement of a 3 13-vessel fleet, this number should be considered notional as over the course of the outlying years this number will shift above and below the 313-ship fleet that is envisioned.

The Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan follows the guidelines of the latest Quadrennial Defense Review Report 2006 that was released in February 2006 (by former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld). ln regards to the USN, the latest QDR stated that the sea service would:

Build a larger fleet that includes 11 Carrier Strike Groups, balance the need to transform and re-capitalize the fleet, improve affordability and provide stability for the shipbuild-ing industry.
Accelerate the procurement of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) to provide power projection capabilities in littoral waters.
Procure the first eight ships of the maritime Pre-Position Force (Future) to improve the Department’s ability to operate in restricted access environments.
Provide a Navy riverine capability for river patrol, interdic-tion and tactical troop movement on inland waterways.
Return to a steady-state production rate of two attack submarines per year no later than 20 I 2 while achieving an average per-hull procurement cost objective of US$2B.

The Navy’s current ship force level is around 286 vessels and will remain below the target of 313 until FY 2016 according to the 30-year shipbuilding plan. From FY 2016 through FY 2025, the Navy will see a force level above 313 until the decline begins in FY 2026. From that point forward, the Navy’s force level will decline to approximately 294 units in FY 2032 before rising back up to 303 units in FY 2037. According to the shipbuilding plan, this will be attributed to a “complex interaction between retirements, re-capitalization, capability, affordability, design and construction time, and industrial base capacity.”

Historically, the Navy has had a difficult time meeting its proposed plans due to restrained budgets and cost overruns with ongoing programs. Already the Navy has been forced to place a stop-work order on one of the LCS units that was under construction due to rising costs. This, coupled with the design and manufacture costs associated with a newly designed destroyer (Zumwalt class) and the goal of acquiring two Virginia class submarines a year (current estimated cost is US$2.2B) beginning in 2012 should bring into question whether the Navy’s goals are obtainable or as in the past, just a bow wave of future orders constantly heading to the right.

In order to meet QDR requirements as well as a 313-ship fleet, the USN will have to drastically cut costs. Only time will tell if, along with reducing costs, the Navy will indeed receive an increase in SCN funding in a time of fiscal restraint if it is to have a chance in attaining a 313-ship fleet.

TURKEY

Five Companies Request New Type Submarine RfP

In early February 2007, the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) announced that five major defense contractors responded to the 28 December 2006 Request for Proposal (RfP) for the acquisition of six Air Independent Propulsion (A.IP) submarines for the New Type Submarine Project (AMI Project Report Future AIP Submarine dtd January 2006). The closing date for the purchase of the RfP was 31 January 2007. The five companies that purchased the Rfp include:

Armaris of France -will probably offer the SCORPENE or a new variant
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (ThyssenKrupp Marine) of Germany -will probably off er the Type 2121214
Fincantieri Cantieri Navali of Italy -will probably offer the new Italian/Russian design
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors of the US -is seeking to be a Prime Contractor or partner
Navantia of Spain -will probably offer the SCORPENE or S 80

Although only five companies responded to the December 2006 RfP, 21 additional companies responded to the 29 March 2006 Request for Information (Rfl) that was posted in order to gather administrative, financial and technical information. Many of the Rfl respondents will likely play a supporting role in the submarine program. The March 2006 Rfl respondents include:

Tubitak-Mam of Turkey
Aydin Tazilim ve Elektronik Sanayii AS of Turkey
Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace of Norway
Kollmorgen Corporation of the US
Calzoni Submarine Systems Department of Italy
Rafael Armament Development of Authority of Israel
BMT Defense Services of the UK
Aspire Consulting of the UK
Gate Elektronik San Tic of Turkey
Israel Aerospace Industries of Israel
Milsoft Yazilim Teknolojileri of Germany
Deutsche Exide of Gennany
Rohde & Schwartz of Gennany
Selex Kominikasyon of Turkey
Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei of Italy
Thales Systems of France
Aselsan of Turkey
Roketsan of Turkey
Lockheed Martin Sippican of the US
EADS Astrium Limited of the UK
Elbit Systems of lsrael

A tender conference is currently scheduled for March 2007 with responses to the RfP due to the SSM no later than 04 May 2007. A decision on the preferred supplier will probably occur no later than 2008 as the Turkish Navy has scheduled the first submarine to enter service in 2013. At least six submarines will be built under this program. Originally the program entailed the construction of four units. However, in January 2007, the Turkish Navy officially cancelled the Atilay class submarine modernization effort in favor of building two additional new construction units under this program, bringing its total to six.

According to the RfP, the New Type Submarines will be constructed at the Golcuck Naval Shipyard with maximum use of existing in-country industrial means and capabilities. All bidders are expected to team with local vendors with experience in command and control software to work with the combat systems integrator on the development and installation of the Integrated Underwater Command Control System (JUCCS). Bidders are also expected to assist the local sub-contractor in building up the necessary capability for maintenance, repairs, development and modification of the JUCCS through the life cycle of the vessel.

VARIOUS DID YOU KNOW?

South Africa -On 14 March 2007, the second Type 209 (S 102) submarine is scheduled to be turned over from ThyssenKrupp Marine to the South African Navy.

South Korea -The first Republic of Korea Navy (ROK.N) type 214 class submarine began sea trials on 29 January 2007.