It's about time................
Posted on 02/26/2010 3:28:03 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Sweden orders new cutting-edge subs
Written by Leon Engelbrecht
Friday, 26 February 2010 08:30
Kockums AB, part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, has signed a contract with FMV (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration), for the design phase of a next-generation submarine, to be known as the A 26 class.
The A 26 features several advances in the development of underwater technology and marks the adaptation of submarines to meet current and future threats and to conduct the international mission now required, the Swedish shipbuilder says. “This refers particularly to the submarine’s role as an information gatherer. Next-generation also refers to further refinements in terms of stealth technology. The submarine will be able to see and hear everything over a wide area, while itself remaining undetected,” the company says.
The submarine will be designed to be efficient in the Baltic and other littoral waters, but will also have an oceangoing capability. “This is an important first step, not only for Kockums, but for the Swedish Armed Forces as a whole. We shall now be able to maintain our position at the cutting edge of submarine technology, which is vital in the light of current threat scenarios,” says CE Ola Alfredsson. “HMS Gotland demonstrated what she is capable of during two years of joint exercises in the water off the USA. This next-generation submarine marks a further refinement of technology”, he adds.
The boat will be powered by a conventional diesel-electric propulsion machinery, and equipped with the Kockums Stirling AIP system (air-independent propulsion). The Stirling system, together with a set of balanced underwater signature properties, will make the A26 submarine very stealthy and difficult to detect. It will also be higly invulnerable to underwater explosions through a verified shock resistance.
The A 26 design includes a new innovative flexible payload capability with a flexible payload lock system in addition to its conventional torpedo tubes. Furthermore it will be prepared for network connectivity. A highly modular design facilitates efficient through-life upgrades and adaptations.
Technical data Length over all 63 m
Beam 6.4 m
Displacement 1900 tons submerged
Weapon armament Four 53 cm bow tubes + one flexible payload lock
Weapons Positive discharge or swim-out
Propulsion Single-shaft, diesel-electric and Stirling AIP
Submerged endurance Weeks
Hull Single pressure hull, two pressure tight compartments
Crew 17-26
oops
The German fuel cell sub, (hydrogen/oxygen) is supposed to be ‘totally’ silent as there are essentially no moving parts in the electric fuel cell generators.
http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/type_212/
diesel-electric??
cutting-edge subs???
oxymoronic
I think you have sweden and Switzerland mixed up. Swiss are in Switzerland and Swedes are in Sweden heh.
Switzerland is one big standing army. I don’t know if Sweden is or not, a bit too lazy to check it’s too early. You have the right idea though, invading a nation where everyone is armed is always a poorly thought out decision.
A “cutting edge” diesel submarine was what surfaced next to a US carrier I think it was last year or so, the entire fleet didn’t detect it. It rattled a lot of people to the bone. I wouldn’t disqualify someone’s hardware from being good just because it’s not in inventory in the US navy.
It always pays to assume that the enemy has better gear, training, and morale than you, that way you’re always prepared for the worst, and if it’s not the case, the cakewalk will be a pleasant surprise.
This has to be a Red Herring.
It's about time................
Because they live next to a country with 142 million people spending big bucks on submarines.
Probably for the same reason our country flushed trillions down the toilet of Johnson's "Great Society" programs--because it could be done, not because it was wise.
a diesel electric sub is fine if it is where it needs to be....and not a long amount of time is needed to get your job done.....if it needs to travel distances to get to where it needs to be you cant beat a nuke....
plus with a nuke and hi tech silent drives, you can stay under for as long as the food holds out...and no one knows you are there....
The swedes have the quietest most stealthy sub in the world. It kicks our asses EVERY time they go head to head with us. We can not find it. Not a fluke, a huge jump in sub warfare.
No that doesn’t make it any clearer. What do you mean?
Where do the Swedes plan to go? They aren't going to blockade the Port of Los Angeles with diesel boats. On the other hand, we aren't going to send any Carrier Task Forces into the Baltic if these things are waiting for them.
I suspect this is a sop to Sweden’s right wing legislators. The Left is intent on destroying the country by allowing replacement of the population by 3rd worlders, so why should they care about defense?
I didn’t know that the Vatican had a “Swedish Guard”? The Byzantine Emperors had a Varingian Guard, but that was a long, long time ago.
Prolly because the US Navy chooses to fight “away games”. AIP’s and modern diesel-electrics are essentially coastal defense weapons. Great for breaking blockades or threatening a next-door neighbor.
That goes unsaid.
You and I wouldn't know about it if we COULD detect it. ASW is like modern aerial warfare -- it's all about gaining an intel advantage so that you can kick butt from the first day of the war. You don't shoot your mouth off about having tricked the enemy into turning on his radars so that you could record them; neither do you tell the Swedes that you are gaining the ability to detect their latest toy. You keep that stuff classified.
That said, this Swedish sub and AIP subs like it ARE a problem.
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