Alexander Nevsky is the second of the Borey class nuclear submarines being built at Sevmash.

The Yury Dolgoruky sub has completed sea trials and could be adopted by the Navy in 2011, while the Vladimir Monomakh, and Svyatitel Nikolai (St. Nicholas) are in different stages of completion.

Russia is planning to build eight of these subs by 2015 and equip them with Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles.


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The China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation has launched an unidentified new-type conventional submarine (SSK) at its Wuhan shipyard, according to Chinese reports.

It is the third new SSK design revealed by China since 1994 and is likely to exacerbate regional anxieties that are propelling many Asian states to increase or establish submarine fleets.

Vague or altered internet images of this new SSK, which first appeared on the popular Chinese CALF web page on 10 September, led observers to think that it may be yet another Chinese internet hoax, but the submarine's existence was confirmed by much clearer images on 13 September.








While not much larger than the 3,000- to 4,000-ton Type 041 Yuan class, the new boat appears to incorporate Russian design influences, including a stouter hull with a reduced aft taper similar to the Project 667 Lada/Amur class, plus an elongated sail and hull-mounted retractable hydroplanes similar to the Project 636 Kilo class. However, in contrast to the sail of the Kilo, the new Chinese SSK incorporates hydrodynamic elements such as an intricately-faired leading edge with concave and convex curves.

With public sector shipyard Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL), Mumbai, yearsbehind schedule in building six conventional Scorpene submarines forthe Indian Navy, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is handing Mazagon Dockanother lucrative order to build three more submarines.

Althoughprivate sector shipbuilders — especially L&T and Pipavav ShipyardLtd (PSL) — argue that Mazagon Dock already has more than it canhandle, MoD insists the public sector shipyard can execute this order.


The MoD’s Secretary of Defence Production, R K Singh, talkingexclusively to Business Standard, has detailed Mazagon Dock’s road mapfor simultaneously executing the Scorpene order (Project 75, as it istermed) and the three additional submarines that are a part of thesix-submarine Project 75I order.

Business Standard had reported yesterday that the MoD’s apex DefenceAcquisition Council (DAC) had ruled out India’s private sector fromProject 75I. The first two submarines of Project 75I will be builtabroad in the foreign collaborator’s shipyard. The other foursubmarines will be built in MoD-owned shipyards: recently acquiredHindustan Shipyard Ltd will build one, while MDL builds three.

R K Singh explains, “First, the Scorpene delay will be trimmed down toless than 18 months. The original plan was for the first Scorpene to bedelivered in December 2012; and the other five submarines at one-yearintervals till December 2017. While the first Scorpene will only beready in August 2015, Mazagon Dock will deliver the others faster, atnine-month intervals, and finish the last Scorpene by May 2019.”

MoD sources say Mazagon Dock is being pushed towards an even moreambitious delivery schedule: Of one Scorpene every seven months. OnAugust 11, Defence Minister A K Antony told Parliament that Project 75would complete work by the second half of 2018.

But Project 75I, argues R K Singh, does not have to wait till then; itcan begin as early as 2012. By that year, with all six Scorpene hullsfully built, the specialised hull workers and welders of Mazagon Dockcould begin fabricating hulls for Project 75I.

Singh explains, “Two Scorpene hulls are already built and MDL is closeto completing the third. By early 2012, all six Scorpene hulls will beready. MDL’s hull fabrication shop — which cuts steel for the hull,rolls it, fabricates hull segments and then welds them together into acomplete hull — will be sitting idle from 2012, and ready to bediverted to Project 75I.”

The Department of Defence Production also points out that Project 75Icannot begin for another five years. At least 12-24 months are neededfor a Cabinet sanction for building the first two Project 75Isubmarines abroad. Selecting a foreign shipyard as collaborator forProject 75I will take another 24-36 months and then one year for pricenegotiations.

The six Project 75I submarines will be built on a new production line,on which work has already begun. During a visit to MDL in 2009,Business Standard was shown a 16-acre plot, adjoining MDL’s facilitiesin Mazagon, Mumbai, which the shipyard had acquired in the 1980s fromGujarat state PSU, Alcock Ashdown.

R K Singh confirmed, “We are going to execute Project 75I in a newyard, the Alcock Yard, on which MDL is building a second submarineproduction line.”

Private sector shipbuilder Larsen & Toubro finds the MoD’s decisionto patronise Mazagon Dock inexplicable. L&T sources say the companywas given to understand that they would participate in Project 75I asthe second submarine line. Now, L&T’s experience and infrastructurewould lie idle.

India's effort to build French Scorpene submarines, under license, hasbeen further delayed, and the price has now gone up to $5 billion ($834million each). While this effort will leave India with thousands ofworkers and specialists experienced in building modern submarines, thatwill be wasted because the defense procurement bureaucrats seem to havelearned nothing.
These officials already caused numerous delays, andcost overruns, during negotiations to build the six Scorpenediesel-electric submarines. The bureaucrats have mismanaged this dealto the extent that it is nearly three years behind schedule. But it iseven more behind schedule if you count the several years the Indianbureaucrats delayed it even getting started.
The delays andmismanagement have so far increased the cost of the $4 billion projectby 25 percent. The first Scorpene is supposed to enter service in twoyears, with one a year after that until all six are delivered.

There's some urgency to all this, because by 2012, five of India's 16subs (10 Kilo and two Foxtrot class Russian built boats and , fourGerman Type 209s) will be retired (some are already semi-retiredbecause of age and infirmity). Two years after that, India will onlyhave five working subs.

But the bureaucrats and politicians dithered for nearly a decade, andit wasn't until 2005 that India signed a deal to buy six FrenchScorpene class boat. The delays led to the French increasing prices onsome key components, and India has had some problems in gettingproduction going on their end. The first Scorpene was to be built inFrance, with the other five built in India. While some problems wereexpected (India has been doing license manufacturing of complex weaponsfor decades), the defense ministry procurement bureaucrats never ceasedto amaze when it came to delaying work, or just getting in the way.

The Scorpenes are similar to the Agosta 90B subs (also French) thatPakistan recently bought. The first of the Agosta's was built inFrance, but the other two were built in Pakistan. The Scorpene purchasewas seen as a response to the Pakistani Agostas. The Scorpene are amore recent design, the result of cooperation between a French and aSpanish firm. The Agosta is a 1,500 ton (surface displacement)diesel-electric sub with a 36 man crew and four 21 inch torpedo tubes(with 20 torpedoes and/or anti-ship missiles carried.) The Scorpene isa little heavier (1700 tons), has a smaller crew (32) and is a littlefaster. It has six 21 inch torpedo tubes, and carries 18 torpedoesand/or missiles. Both models can be equipped with an AIP (airindependent propulsion) system. This enables the sub to stay underlonger, thus making the sub harder to find. AIP allows the sub totravel under water for more than a week, at low speed (5-10 kilometersan hour). The Pakistanis have an option to retrofit AIP in theircurrent two Agostas.

Both of these modern subs are very lethal weapons against surfacewarships. With well trained crews, Agostas and Scorpenes can get closeto just about any surface ship, no matter how good the defendersanti-submarine defenses are. But it's the AIP boats that are the realkillers. Without AIP, subs spend most of their time just below surface,using their noisy diesel engines (via a snorkel device that breaks thesurface to take in air, and get rid of the engine exhaust.) Snorkelscan be spotted by modern maritime patrol aircraft, and both nations aregetting more of these. The noise of the diesel engines can easily bepicked up by other subs. The introduction of the Agostas and Scorpeneswas seen as an escalation in the naval arms race between Pakistan andIndia.

While India was largely concerned with the Pakistani navy when theScorpene contract was negotiated and signed, China is now seen as theprimary adversary. The Chinese subs are not as effective as thePakistani boats, both because of less advanced technology, and lesswell trained crews. India could use their Scorpenes to confront anyChinese attempt to expand their naval presence into the Indian ocean.Thus the delays and cost overruns with the Scorpenes are causing quitea lot of commotion in India. But at the rate India is going, it will benearly a decade before all six of the Scorpenes are in service. At thatpoint, India would have about a dozen subs (including nuclear poweredmodels under construction. China will have over 60 boats, about 20percent of them nuclear.
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In 2008 Pakistan Navy under chief of navel staff Admiral MuhammadAfzal Tahir made efforts for including German 214 Class submarines inits fleet and owing to Navy’s persistent efforts, the government hadapproved plans for acquisition of these submarines to be built atKarachi Shipyard under transfer of technology programme.

The details were later worked out between the two countries when a Pakistan Navy delegation visited Germany in April.
However recently quoting Pakistani government sources, the FinancialTimes Deutschland says President Asif Zardari may overrule hismilitary’s preference for the German subs to take up a “better offer”from France.
But what better submarines France can offer to Pakistan? That is aquestion to ponder because France has no better submarines to offerPakistan at the moment whereas French are indeed not ready to offer usnuclear submarine.



What France has in store? :
There are three options 1. Scorpion, 2. Marlin and 3. Barracudasubmarines. But again the Scorpions are not superior to U 214, neitherthese will be having any benefit for Pakistan because French companyDCN is already going to provide Scorpion to Indian Navy ahead ofPakistan.
U-214 is way better than French design given to India. Marlin isjust on drawing board and will take forever to go to prototype stageand then test and evaluation and finally induction into Pakistan Navymeanwhile India will have all its Scorpion in sea. DCN (Direction desConstructions Navales ), France will not be able to fulfill Pakistaniorder ahead of Indians. The success of Marlin, or weather or not itwill be better than U-214 German sub cannot be predicted. Currently,U-214 for the best non-nuclear submarine in the world, and our friendsin Turkey will soon produce it at home with the license of production.
Now the only option for Pakistan will be to ask for Barracudasubmarine but it is unlikely that France will sell us nuclearsubmarine. Barracuda is a nuclear powered submarine and France does notcurrently allow the sale of nuclear-propelled submarines.
Despite having French Agosta-90B submarines, the Pakistani Navyopted for purchasing German Torpedoes for fitting to Agosta-90B due tothe superior German technology.
Pakistan Navy needs German submarines because the German U-214 subs are far better than the French Scorpion.
If the current government goes for inferior quality Frenchsubmarines then it will indeed give weight to suspicion of manyPakistanis who see bribes as main factor behind any irrationaldecisions viz viz defence deals.
Already the Pakistani senators have demanded in an incamera briefing from Pakistani Naval chief in the Senate.
Whereas some eyebrows have also been raised over the fact thatforeign secretary Salman Bashir in the current government of Zardari isthe brother of Naval Chief, Noman Bashir and there are also somereports that PIA chairman is going to be named Pakistani envoy toFrance. Some political pundits see such an appointment an attempt tomuster a deal for French submarines.
On the other hand submarine acquisition project (SMAP) a groupcomposed of Naval officers who have recommended U-214 submarines overother options after extensive study has been disbanded and the officershave been posted out at different stations.
Though earlier the Germans have delayed the deal due to politicalsituation of Pakistan but can kickoff cutting of hull for firstsubmarine immediately after signing the deal.
In such a situation going for something which does not fulfill therequirement of Pakistan Navy would be tantamount to putting thenational defence at risk.
There is no reason not to go for German submarines specially whenBerlin even granted federal export credit guarantees worth nearly $1.4billion for the purchase of the same.

Russia with its implemented and signed delivery contracts of 28submarines dominates Asian market; Vietnamese contract has strengthenedRussia's positions, reported Thursday Global Arms Trade Analysis Center(GATAC).

Rosoboronexport signed a delivery contract on six Project 636Mdiesel electric submarines to Vietnam during visit of Vietnamese PrimeMinister Nguyen Tan Dung to Russia on Dec 15, 2009. All subs will bebuilt at Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard in St. Petersburg; rateof delivery is one sub per year. Total contract value of submarinesconstruction makes $2.1 bln. Considering establishment of appropriatecoastal infrastructure in Vietnam, delivery of arms and other systems,total sum could reach $3.2 bln. In this case the agreement would becomethe most expensive contract in the Russia's naval arms export.


"Amount of Russian Project 636/877 diesel electric submarines in Asiancountries will increase up to 28 after execution of the contract withVietnam; that will ensure Russia to keep leading positions at thismarket", informed RIA Novosti referring to GATAC press release.

Vietnam's decision to purchase Russian diesel electric subs fits intothe general trend of some Asian countries to create national submarinefleets. To make the best use of this factor, Russia makes a packageoffer including not only building submarines but also establishment ofappropriate submarine maintenance infrastructure, and trainingpersonnel, pointed out GATAC experts.

At present, Russia proceeds with implementation of long-term upgradeprogram of ten Project 877EKM diesel electric subs for Indian Navy.Since 2000 Indian Project 877EKM submarines have been armed with Club-S missile system. Indian Navy currently has in service 5 Project 877EKM submarines with Club-S system. One more sub is under modernization. Upgrade contract of four more Indian diesel subs and installation of Club-S system with 3M-54E1missiles was signed in Sept 2009. All modernized Project 877EKMsubmarines have six 533-mm torpedo tubes with 14 torpedoes, and 4supersonic cruise missiles 3M-54E1 having flight range about 220 km and designed for destroying surface ships, submarines, and land targets.

Construction program of diesel submarines for China has become one ofthe largest orders in Russia's recent history. Delivery contract ofeight Project 636 subs armed with Club-Smissile system for Chinese Navy was tied in May 2002. Its total valueexceeded $1.6 bln. The contract was implemented in 2004-2006. Chinaalso intends to mount Club-S system into previously delivered Russian diesel subs (two Project 877EKM and two Project 636 submarines).

According to estimates of GATAC, Russia, Germany, and France willremain key players at Asian market of diesel submarines. In someparticular countries the leading trio could compete with Sweden andHolland. South Korea with its Project 209 diesel subs built underGerman license could also participate.

Russia has a chance to win some regional tenders, such as second parcelof six diesel electric submarines for India, ànd also Indonesia,Thailand and other countries.

Project 636 submarine is the evolution of Project 877EKM dieselelectric submarine and has such distinctive features as increasedsubmarine speed (up to 20 knots), extended operational range insubmerged position, and improved silence. Combat effectiveness ofProject 636 submarine has been significantly increased because of Club-S missile system

Delegation of Russian Navy arrived to Sevastopol to talk on repaircompletion, conducting sea trials and crew training of Ukrainiansubmarine Zaporozhye, informs Rosbalt referring to Ukrainian Navy Press Center.

The talks will last two days. Ukrainian party is represented by RearAdmiral Viktor Nosenko, Navy deputy commander for combat training,experts of logistic department, and crew officers. The negotiators willalso discuss possible involvement of Black Sea Fleet assets to provideemergency assistance while sea trials of Zaporozhye.

Submarine Zaporozhye was launched on May 29, 1970 inLeningrad. She was deployed at Northern Fleet till 1990; then the subwas transferred to Black Sea Fleet and in 1997 was handed over toUkrainian Navy. Since that time the submarine has been under repair atthe dock of Metallist shipyard in Balaklava, Crimea. In Feb2003 the sub was transferred to BSF 13th Ship Repair Plant inSevastopol Bay. According to Ukrainian Press Center, repair works are90% completed.

Being in service at Ukrainian Navy, submarine Zaporozhye has never taken the sea.

Lada-class 4th generation diesel electric submarine St. Petersburgfor the first time was put to sea as operational unit of Russian Navy.The sub left Neva Harbor heading for ranges in the Baltic Sea.Submariners will test various systems, mechanisms, and equipment indifferent modes.

According to Mikhail Aleksandrov, deputy director general of Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard, lead diesel electric submarine St. Petersburg was delivered to the Navy on May 8, 2010 when the St. Andrew's flag was hoisted at the sub. Similar Lada-classsubmarines (displacement is 1,765 tons) will constitute a series ofRussian diesel electric subs developed late 20 century by designers of Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg).

The main feature of the series is combination of small size and highsilence with powerful torpedo and missile armament. These submarinesare designed for destruction of enemy's submarines and surface ships;defense of naval bases, sea shore, and sea lanes; conductingreconnaissance.

Submarine St. Petersburg was laid down in 1997, launched on Oct 28, 2004. At present, Project 677 submarines Kronshtadt (laid down July 28, 2005) and Sevastopol (laid down on Nov 10, 2006) are at different levels of completeness in Admiralteyskie Verfi.

n spite of being built for 17 years, nuclear-powered submarine Severodvinskwill be armed with most advanced weapons and, perhaps, will become theworld most silent sub, said Capt 1 rank Alexei Poteshkin, NorthernFleet (NF) submarine force executive officer.

"State trials of the submarine will be held this year. Hopefully, upon their results Severodvinskwill be recognized the most advanced and silent – which is the mainfeature of submarines – ship in the world", said A. Poteshkin atTuesday's press conference.

He pointed out that despite 17 years have passed since the sub's keellaying, arms and equipment were installed in the very recent time."Basically, 17 years is only the hull's age, but filling is the mostup-to date", Poteshkin said.

The submarine has been considerably changed, noted the officer. "Thesub will be equipped only with the newest arms and hardware",underlined Poteshkin.

Answering the question of tasks for SSGN Severodvinsk, Poteshkin said it would be escorting strategic ships and performing other functions ordinary for attack subs.

Launching ceremony of SSGN Severodvinsk was triumphantly held on Tuesday at Sevmash shipyard in the presence of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation.

Last year's contract on the delivery of six Kilo class dieselsubmarines to Vietnam, worth a total of $3.2 billion
, is the largestdeal in the history of Russian exports of naval equipment, a Russianmagazine says.
The contract was signed in December 2009 during the visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Russia.
"The construction cost is $2.1 billion, but the building of allnecessary coastal infrastructure and the delivery of armaments andother equipment may bring the total to $3.2 bln, which makes this dealthe largest in the history of Russian exports of naval equipment," theExport of Arms magazine says in an editorial published in its Juneissue.
Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg will build the submarines with the rate of one vessel per year.
State-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport previously said Russia couldsell up to 40 fourth-generation diesel-electric submarines to foreigncustomers by 2015.
Kilo class submarines, nicknamed "Black Holes" for their ability toavoid detection, are considered to be among the quietestdiesel-electric submarines in the world.
The submarine is designed for anti-submarine warfare andanti-surface-ship warfare, and also for general reconnaissance andpatrol missions.
The vessel has a displacement of 2,300 tons, a maximum depth of 350meters (1,200 feet), a range of 6,000 miles, and a crew of 57. It isequipped with six 533-mm torpedo tubes.
At least 29 Kilo class subs have been exported to China, India, Iran, Poland, Romania and Algeria.
Export of Arms is a specialized Moscow-based technical andanalytical magazine, published bimonthly by Russia's Centre forStrategic and Technological Analysis.