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Naval Group's New Intermediate Frigat (FTI) - Belharra Design: 5 Ships on Order

March 28, 2018, 9:51 pm
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COMMENT

The sleek, stealthy configuration and other traits of the FTI-Belharra frigate (below) may influence Australia's Future Frigate SEA 5000 Project. This is particularly the case if a future Fincantieri/Naval Group alliance wins the Future Frigate competition, with the winner expected to be announced in June 2018

ARTICLE

The following is a translated and summarized report of March 21, 2018, from the "ouest-france" (West France) website:

Naval group. In Brest, Thales will take care of the sonars of the future frigate

Naval group (formerly DCNS) is designing and will soon start building five new intermediate frigates (in French Frégates de taille intermédiaire (FTIs) that will be specialized in anti-submarine warfare, "self-defense" [surface and air warfare] capabilities and can carry special forces troops.

Within this project Thales’ complex in Brest will develop and supply sonar and other systems. The FTI frigate project carries the more compelling name "Belharra"(Giant Wave). Belharra may also be the first ship of class name?

The frigate is will dispalce about 4,000, making it smaller than the 6,000 tonne FREMM that Naval Group already builds. [Naval-technology advises: Overall length and midship beams of the ship are 122m and 17.7m respectively. With a displacement of approximately 4,200t, the frigate will carry up to 150 personnel, including 110 crew and 15 [in the] helicopter detachment.]

The FTI must be delivered in 2023 for admission to active service in 2025. The Lorient, France, site will be responsible for the final assembly, as is the case for the [multimission FREMMS?] already  being delivered.


The contract, awarded by France’s Directorate General of Armaments, provides for the construction of five FTIs for the French Navy (with the five costing a total of about 4 Billion euros).


Five of these mid-size frigates will be built by Naval Group and its suppliers by 2030. (Artwork by Naval Group via ouest-france)
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The Naval Group Youtube above, was uploaded on December 23, 2016 and demonstrates the FTI-Belharra frigate's many capabilities. 
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In the frigate's 2016 stage of development the Youtube description was: "On the occasion of the Euronaval Exhibition [2016] in Paris-Le Bourget, DCNS [now Naval Group] unveils BELH@RRA®, the new front-line digital frigate dedicated to the international market and which renews the heavily-armed 4,000-tonne frigate segment. The new heavily-armed frigate made for the international market

With the BELH@RRA® frigate, Naval Group intends to continue the success enjoyed by La Fayette-class frigates, a reference on the naval defence market with over twenty units sold to four navies around the world. Naval Group completes its product line by positioning a latest-generation vessel between the 6,000-tonne FREMM multi-mission frigate segment and that of the 2,500- to 3,000-tonne GOWIND®corvettes.

With the BELH@RRA® frigate, Naval Group responds to the expectations of navies looking for a compact frigate, capable of ensuring long-range missions, operating alone or embedded in a naval force, on the high seas or as part of coastal surveillance missions in a dense and hostile environment.

The new BELH@RRA® frigate offers operational intelligence that is unequalled on the market, in addition to a modular design, robustness and simplified use, which are all the fruit of the technological evolutions of the last few years. Ten years after the first design studies for the FREMM multi-mission frigate, Naval Group’s latest frigate also capitalises on the experience of the French Navy with this vessel across a large number of operational theatres.

Thanks to the architecture and versatility of Naval Group’s SETIS® combat-management system, proven on the FREMM frigates and GOWIND® corvettes, the BELH@RRA ® frigate will respond to the specific needs of client navies in all areas of warfare, whilst at the same time offering significant platform modularity to increase vessel payload or autonomy. The new frigate will offer cutting-edge performance for submarine warfare, an unprecedented aircraft detection capability and strengthened air-surface warfare capacities; a multi-mission foundation to which capacities responding to new threats such as asymmetric warfare or cyber-defence will also be added.

The first frigate for “digital natives” Resolutely oriented towards future operators in command of vessels beyond 2020, the BELH@RRA® frigate benefits from digital technologies. These endow it with greater performance for data processing and threat detection whilst at the same time allowing the crew to concentrate on tasks with the most added value. The development of digital technologies guarantees the upgradeability of the vessel throughout its life-cycle. For a period of almost forty years, the equipment and systems will be incrementally modernised to adapt to evolutions in the operational context, future threats and the arrival of new technologies.

The BELH@RRA® in its French-Navy version, a programme that is already under way Naval Group already offers a French-Navy version of the new BELH@RRA ® frigate in the frame of the FTI (intermediate-size frigate) programme conducted by the French Procurement Agency (DGA) on behalf of the French Navy. For the French-Navy version, the BELH@RRA ® frigate is designed to satisfy France’s needs as defined by the French Ministry of Defence: a front-line frigate for anti-submarine warfare of a displacement of 4,000 tonnes equipped with widened self-defence and commando-projection capacities.

Last but not least, it integrates the Thales Sea Fire® four flat antenna radar and is equipped with ASTER® 30 missiles from MBDA. * Naval Group has named its new frigate BELH@RRA® in reference to Europe’s only giant wave: the Belharra. The first “a” transformed into an @ makes reference to the highly digital nature of the frigate proposed by Naval Group.”
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The Origins of Easter. Even a Submarine

March 29, 2018, 10:00 pm
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A very rare Easter Submarine. (Courtesy "Kouzla s čokoládou" (in Czech) or "Chocolate Spells"
 (in English ) Femina via pinterest)
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Happy Easter Everyone! 

Easter, held in late March or early April each year, was at first a pagan festival celebrating Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. This includes cherry blossoms (15 seconds into this Youtube). Spring, of course, is connected with fertility, rebirth and new growth of plants and animals.

In order to smoothly convert "pagans" into Christians Christian missionaries converted pagan Spring festivals into popular resurrection of Jesus Christ.Easter festivals. 

Most Christians, agnostics (like me) and non-Christians connect Easter with the most popular practice. That is eating chocolate (mainly Easter bunnies and Easter eggs (eg. Cadbury)) that are coincidentally fertility/rebirth symbols.  

I try to limit my Easter egg intake, but happily never succeed :)

Pete
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Russian Design and Engine Institutes - TABLES 6 and 7

April 1, 2018, 2:22 am
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Anonymous in early March 2018 provided a mass of information about Russian designing and engine building research institutes. Frequent use of Ctrl + F for keyword search may help users.

Russian Design And Engine Building Research Institutes

Of main interest to Submarine Matters’submarine and surface ship coverage is Tables 6 and 7.


Table 6 The most important scientific and design organizations of Russian shipbuilding industry
Profile, Performance and Activities
Blue color and red textwithin Tables suggests submarine or naval ship related organization
Russian name & address
English name & location
Profile and performance
Activities
Центральное конструкторское бюро «Айсберг»

http://www.iceberg.sp.ru/

Central Design Bureau (CBD) "Iceberg"


St. Petersburg
Bureau specializing in designing icebreakers including ones with nuclear power plants.

Aims securing the Northern Sea Route with icebreakers, a transport fleet for navigation in the Arctic and the transformation of the Northern Sea Route into a normally functioning shipping line.
http://www.iceberg.sp.ru/ website even features Lenin = “Ленин” on its logo!
l   Nuclear icebreakers
l   Floating nuclear power units
l   Auxiliary vessels for the Navy
l   Diesel-electric icebreakers
Центральное морское конструкторское бюро «Алмаз»

http://www.almaz-kb.ru/eng/pages/about.php

CDB "Almaz"


St. Petersburg
Part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation.

Leads design and engineering organization in the Russian shipbuilding industry.
------------------------------------------------------
Designed Dergach missile air cushion vehicle, Nanuchka and Tarantul-class missile corvettes, Matka-class missile hydrofoil, Pauk-class anti-submarine warfare corvette, Pomornik-class air cushion vehicle
l   Small and medium size surface combatants
l   High-speed combat and patrol boats
l   Air cushion landing ships and vessels of various applications
l   Mine countermeasures vessels
l   Special purpose vessels
l   Floating docks
l   Motor yachts
ЦКБ «Балтсудопроект»


http://krylov-center.ru/rus/

CDB "Baltsoproject" and Krylov State Research Center are united R & D institution.
CDB "Baltsoproject"

St. Petersburg
Founded in 1925

The oldest design and engineering enterprise of the domestic marine shipbuilding.
------------------------------------------------------
Developed about 200 projects for which more than 2,600 vessels have been built.


l   Basic research on marine & river technology;
l   Development and justification of shipbuilding programs;
l   Development and examination of projects of ships & and structures;
l   Research on hydrodynamics, strength, energy and electric power systems, physical field, hydro-acoustics;
l   Design of electrical equipment, propellers, propulsion systems;
l   Design solutions for platforms for extracting sea shelf oil & gas
l   Standardization and so on
Крыловский государственный научный центр

http://krylov-center.ru/rus/



Krylov State Research Center

St. Petersburg
Shipbuilding R & D institute. Operates as a federal state-owned unitary enterprise. Specializes in the design and technical support of the construction of ships, ships and floating facilities.
Has long-established experience since 1882.
------------------------------------------------------
Developing, piling, surrendering, being in construction surface ships and submarines
See CDB "Baltsoproject"
КБ «Вымпел»

http://www.vympel.ru/

KB "Vympel"

Nizhny Novgorod
Multidiscipline project organization

Performs license engineering of vessels and floating constructions of any complexity.
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Designed more than 540 projects on the basis of which more than 6500 vessel was built.

13 projects under construction
l   Development of design documentation (docs) for shipbuilding including:
-        conceptual design
-        technical project
-        vessel docs on construction
-        design docs
-        plazovo-technological docs
-        acceptance and commissioning docs
l   Development of modernization projects, re-equipment of ships
l   Harmonization docs with supervisory authorities
l   Technical support of ship building at the plant
l   Carrying out model tests in experimental pool
l   Testing bending & weighing vessels
Зеленодольское проектно-конструкторское бюро

http://zpkb.com/


Zelenodolsk Design Bureau


Zelenodolsk
Independent enterprise
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Built about 800 ships and vessels for the Navy, naval units of the Border Troops, the USSR and Russia, and also for export.

Sokol type, Neustrashimy and Yaroslav Mudry warships

Submarine hunters of projects 201, 122b, 1124, 204, 159 and 35.
Detection method of submarine by using helicopter
l   Designing ships & their construction
l   Development of modernization projects
l   Consultation and assistance in the design
l   Experiment and testing
l   Design and manufacture of shipbuilding products
l   Designing equipment for the oil and gas industry
Центральное конструкторское бюро «Коралл»

http://www.cdbcorall.ru/
CDB"Coral"

Sevastopol

Occupies a leading position in the design of stationary, self-elevating, semisubmersible and submersible drilling platforms, marine floating cranes, crane and pipe-laying vessels, other facilities for offshore oil and gas fields

Provides all stages of designing means for offshore development: concepts & technical projects, evaluation of investments, development of working & design docs, supervise construction.
Санкт-Петербургское морское бюро машиностроения «Малахит»
http://www.malachite-spb.ru/
St. Petersburg Marine Engineering Bureau "Malachite"

St. Petersburg
Leading design bureau in Russia
Specializing in marine engineering, including the nuclear power plant.
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Submarine Projects627, 629, 645, 661, 671PT, 671PTM(К) ,705(К), 971, 885, Хаски,Консул
Designing, providing construction and testing of nuclear and diesel submarinesand inhabited technical means of developing the Ocean.
Невское проектно-конструкторское бюро

http://www.nddb.spb.ru/
Nevsky Design Bureau

St. Petersburg
Participates in international projects in the frames of military-technical cooperation with foreign countries because of drastic reduction of Navy orders,. .


Designing & producing docs for building, operational service, refitting & modernizing aircraft carriers & large landing ships, shipborne aviation facilities etc
Научно-исследовательское проектно-технологическое бюро «Онега»
http://onegastar.ru/
Scientific and research project-technological bureau "Onega"

Severodvinsk
Design and engineering organizations of ship repair of the Russian shipbuilding industry.
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Developed projects for repair and modernization of more than 30 ships.
Technological support for repair of diesel-electric foreign submarines
Technological and design support for repair, restoration of technical readiness and re-equipment of nuclear and diesel-electric submarines and surface ships

Центральное конструкторское бюро морской техники «Рубин»
http://ckb-rubin.ru/en/main/
CDB of Marine Engineering "Rubin"
or
JSC "CDB MT" Rubin"

St. Petersburg
One of the world leaders in the design of submarines

Leading design bureau of underwater shipbuilding in Russia.

Vast experience in the development of submarine.

l   Nuclear subs with ballistic missile
l   Nuclear subs with cruise missile
l   Non-nuclear subs
l   Energy Booths
Конструкторское бюро «Рубин-Север»
http://rubin-sever.ru/
Design office “Rubin-Sever"
at Severodvinsk restricted entry shipyard
See Table IV
See Table IV
Северное проектно-конструкторское бюро

http://www.severnoe.com/index1.html

Northern Design Bureau,

St. Petersburg


Leading design bureau of Russia for the design of combat surface ships of various classes.

Has stable links with shipyards and equipment suppliers in Russia and abroad. 

The ships built according to the projects of the Bureau were well established during the service in the foreign Navy.
l   Admiral Grigorovich class frigate (Project 11356P/M)
l   Project 22160-class patrol ship
l   Rubin-class patrol boat (Project 22460)
l   And so on
Специальное конструкторское бюро по электрохимии сопытным заводом
http://www.intelhim.ru/
Special Design and Technological Bureau for Electrochemistry (SKTBE) with an experimental plant

Moscow
A member of the Northern Shipbuilding and Renovation Center (SCAD), and within the framework of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC).

Implemented the development of the 5th generation EHRV system for nuclear submarine
Electrochemical systems eg. electrochemical air regeneration (EHRV)
l   Catalytic system
l   Gas Analysts
l   Machine units of chemical engineering
l   Power electronics
l   Composite materials
l   Hydrogen technology
Спецсудопроект

https://s-s-p.ru/
Spetssudoproekt

St. Petersburg
Spetssudoproekt" was founded in 1999 as a design bureau developing technical documentation for the shipbuilding industry.

Ростовское центральное проектно-конструкторское бюро «Стапель»
https://s-s-p.ru/
Rostov Central Design Bureau "Stapel"

Rostov-on-Don.
Provides design and engineering services to water transport enterprises.

l   Develop technical requirements for new vessels
l   Develop contract proposals for sea, river and mixed navigation vessels
l   Design new sea, river and mixed navigation vessels, etc
Центральное конструкторское бюро «Черноморец»
http://crimea.ria.ru/economy/
CDB "Chernomorets"


Sevastopol
Specializes in the development of technical documentation for the construction, repair, modernization of ships and ships of the Navy, the design of special purpose vessels.

Центральное конструкторское бюро «Лазурит»

https://www.cdb-lazurit.ru/
CDB "Lazurit"

Sevastopol
Leading design firm in the field of submarines and submersible technology.



l   Subsea Drilling System
l   HYPERBARIC SYSTEMS
l   Tourist Submarines and Submersibles
l   Marine Recreation Facilities, etc

Table 7 Main activities Rubin-Sever
Main activities
staff
Development of devices, systems, products, objects of marine and other equipment, including components of submarines, on behalf of CDB MT "Rubin "

Technical support for the construction, modernization, repair and utilization of marine and other equipment under projects developed by JSC "CDB MT" Rubin"

Management on behalf of JSC "CDB MT" Rubin"design documentation of its development

Development of design, design and regulatory documentation to ensure the safe sinking, towing and disposal of surface ships and submarines of all purposes

Development of coastal infrastructure projects for servicing ships and vessels

Manufacture and testing of prototypes, certain types of products developed by the Company;

Implementation of activities related to the use of information constituting state secrets;

Designing of any objects of civil, industrial and technical designation;

Author's support of manufacturing and operation of objects and structures developed by the Company or with the participation of the Company;

Development and implementation of application software;

Rrendering of scientific and technical, design and engineering consulting services, marketing;

Iinnovation activity;
From the structure of the design staff there are structural divisions - groups in the following specialties:
Group of hull constructions
Group of electrical equipment and automatics
Group of general ship systems
Group of information technical support and technical support of orders

All design personnel have the following education:
Higher professional - design engineers;
Secondary vocational - technology.

The work experience in the field of shipbuilding and ship repair of design personnel is:
 in 30% - up to 5 years;
 in 10% - from 5 to 10 years;
 60% have more than 10 years.

The staff of the enterprise determines the competitive advantages of the enterprise and the opportunities for its development.

The purpose of the personnel policy of the enterprise is to maintain and improve the unified system and ideology of personnel management aimed at the successful operation of the enterprise.


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Russian Design and Engine Institutes - TABLES 4 and 5

April 1, 2018, 2:26 am
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Table 4 Russian engine manufacturers: new engines & export
New engine
Address
At the Aviation and Space Salon Max-2015, Russian developers showed a modern engine PD-14. It is assumed that the engine will be put on domestic aircraft Superjet-100 and MC-21.
l   http://vladimir-krm.livejournal.com/3031594.html 

l   https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201509050859-8q1n.htm
More powerful engine modifications will be installed on the Tu-214 and IL-96. Serial production of the engine will begin in 2016. Also on the basis of PD-14 will be set up the production of a helicopter engine PD-12V, which will replace the Ukrainian engine D-136. October 5, 2015 it became known that Russian designers from Serpukhov created the first engine in Russia for a promising aerospace plane. Also in the near future, it is planned to develop the aircraft itself, which after all tests will go to military and civilian markets.
l   https://ria.ru/defense_safety/20151005/1297159118.html
In 2016, Russia for the first time in the world successfully tested a detonation liquid rocket engine of a new generation on environmentally friendly fuel.
l  http://fpi.gov.ru/press/news/20160826
Also in 2016, the development of a new aircraft engine for a future-generation fighter of the new generation T-50 (PAK FA) was completed. It is reported that the serial delivery of the fighter will begin with a new engine.
l  https://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/82694/
In 2017, Russian scientists from the Lyulka Experimental Design Bureau developed and conducted tests of a fundamentally new pulsating detonation engine with a two-stage combustion of a kerosene-air fuel mixture. The use of this engine will increase the thrust of the aircraft by 1.5-2 times due to the increased specific thrust and lower mass of the product. Accordingly, due to reduced fuel consumption, the range of flights increases. The new development can find application in combat missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and supersonic aircraft.
l   https://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/90291/
l    
Export

Since 1996, there has been a project to supply Russian RD-180 engines for the main American Atlas-5 rocket. Delivered more than 70 engines.
l   https://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/65078/.
In May 2014, in connection with the deterioration of relations between Russia and the United States, engine purchases ceased, but supplies of previously purchased ones continued. Starting in 2015, deliveries of RD-181 engines for the US Antares rocket began.
Regular supplies of aircraft engines go to China
l  see link

Table 5 Russian builders of ships and vessels of ocean class [3]
Since the industry is very large, only large enterprises are listed
Russian name
English name
Location
Comments
Объединённая судостроительная корпорация ‘
United Shipbuilding Corporation (OSK)
Head office in St. Petersburg, Moscow
l   Main domestic industrial holding uniting the majority of the largest enterprises of the industry and part of its scientific and design organizations.
l   Controlled by the state and in 2017 de facto is responsible for the construction of all large ships of the Russian navy.
Дальневосточный центр судостроения и судоремонта
Far Eastern Shipbuilding and Shiprepair Center
Vladivostok.
l   A significant part of the large ship-repair and shipbuilding plants of the Far East of Russia.
l   Very large shipbuilding complex at the Far Eastern Zvezda plant.
Северное машиностроительное предприятие
Northern Machine Building Enterprise
Severodvinsk
l   Only builder of nuclear subs of all classes, and also non-nuclear subs.
l   Re-equipment and modernization of the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov for export to India.
l   Oil platform Prirazlomnaya.
Северная верфь
Severnaya Verf
St. Petersburg
l   Corvette, frigate and destroyer
Прибалтийский судостроительный завод
Baltic Shipyard “Amber"
Kaliningrad.
l   Frigates, large landing ships, medium reconnaissance ships
Адмиралтейские верфи
Admiralty Shipyards
St. Petersburg
l   Main builder of non-nuclear subs
Амурский судостроительный завод
Amur Shipbuilding Plant
Komsomolsk
l   Corvettes
l   Previously built nuclear-subs
Судостроительный завод «Залив»,
Shipyard Zaliv
Kerch
l   Peviously built frigates and large civil vessels, and reconstructed in 2017
l   Only plant in Russia that has a sufficient dock for the building of supertankers and strike aircraft carriers.
Балтийский завод
Baltic factory
Petersburg
l   Only builder of nuclear icebreakers and floating nuclear power plants in the world,
l   Frigates for export.
Дальневосточный завод «Звезда»,
Far East Zvezda Plant
Bolshoy Kamen, Primorsky Territory
l   Repair and re-equipment of subs including nuclear subs
l   Repair and re-equipment of surface ships and vessels.
l   Currently, this equipment is being completed as a very large shipbuilding plant.
Выборгский судостроительный завод
Vyborg Shipyard
Vyborg
l   Ships with deadweight of up to 15000 tons
l   Offshore platforms, diesel icebreakers, relatively large fishing seiners.

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Russian Design and Engine Institutes - TABLES 1, 2 and 3.

April 1, 2018, 2:34 am
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Anonymous in early March 2018 kindly provided a mass of information (in table form) about Russian design and engine building research institutes. 

Blogger/Blogspot appears technically unable to accommodate large tables, so I have divided Tables 1 to 7 into 3 sections.

Frequent use of Ctrl + F for keyword search may help users.

Probably of main interest to Submarine Matters’ submarine and surface ship coverage is Tables 6 and 7.

Russian engine building is an important branch of machine building in Russia, one of the most high-tech industries of Russian industry. Russia is a major producer of missile, aircraft, helicopter, and automobile engines. The largest Russian company in the field of engine building is the United Engine-Building Corporation (UDK). (Same as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Engine_Corporation?) 

Russian engine manufacturers are summarized in Tables 1-4.

Table 1 Russian engine manufacturers: united engine corporation
No
English Name
Address
Comments
1.1
United Engine Corporation
http://rostec.ru/news/4516922/

The revenue of the United Engine-Building Corporation in 2014 increased by 25% and amounted to 199.97 billion rubles. The number of products produced increased by 20%: over 1,400 engines for combat and civil aviation, as well as space and "ground" programs were produced during the year.


Table 2 Russian engine manufacturers: Russian motor plants
No
English Name
Address
Comments
2.1
Elabuga Motor Plant (EMZ)
http://tass.ru/ekonomika/2350312

The The plant for the production of automobile engines, opened in 2015. At the first stage the capacity of the motor plant will be 105 thousand engines a year, later it can be increased to 200 thousand. Thus, the plant will be able to equip its engines with about 5-10% of cars produced in Russia. October 15, 2015 in Naberezhnye Chelny at the Ford Sollers plant was released the first Ford car with a Russian engine of Elabuga production.
2.2
Zavolzhsky Motor Plant (ZMC)
http://www.zmz.ru/

Plant for the production of petrol and diesel automobile engines. It was founded in 1958. It is a part of JSC "UAZ". It is located in the city of Zavolzhe in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
2.3
PAO Star
http://zvezda.spb.ru/
It was founded in 1932. PJSC "ZVEZDA" is the only enterprise in Russia that develops and produces high-speed marine diesel engines with a capacity of more than 500 kW with minimal weight. They are equipped with almost all the ship's hydrofoil ships built on the shipyards of the USSR and Russia, a significant part of high-speed ships of the Navy and the Border Troops, which are successfully used not only in Russia, but also in many countries of the world.
2.4
Kolomna Plant
http://www.kolomnadiesel.com/
It was founded in 1863. OJSC Kolomensky Zavod is a developer and main producer of modern 4-stroke medium-speed engines with gas turbine supercharging and cooling of charge air of type D49 and D42 with capacity from 450 kW to 4500 kW.
2.5
Penza diesel plant (Penzadieselmash)
http://www.pdmz.ru/

The leading manufacturer of diesel engines for diesel locomotives in Russia, is part of Transmash holding. It produces diesel engines and diesel generators of diesel locomotives, power stations, sea and river vessels, traction units of the mining industry.
2.6
Tutaevsky Motor Plant (TMZ)
http://paotmz.ru/

l   The plant producing diesel engines of the V8 family (V-shaped 8-cylinder diesel engines) for mainline road trains, heavy-duty dump trucks, city buses of large and extra-large capacity, agricultural and industrial tractors, off-road specialized machinery, diesel generators, road-building, military equipment, river tugs and sports trucks "KAMAZ". Also produces gearboxes and spare parts for the engines of the YaMZ and TMZ families, diesel electric generating sets.
2.7
Ural Diesel-Engine Plant (UDMZ)
https://sinaratm.ru/about/enterprises/udmz/
The plant in Yekaterinburg, which produces diesel engines of the DM-21 dimension, as well as diesel generators and power stations on their base with a capacity from 500 to 1700 kW. It is part of the holding company "Sinara-Transport Machines", which produces locomotives and transport vehicles.
2.8
Yaroslavl Motor Plant (YaMZ)
http://www.ymzmotor.ru/
Yaroslavl Motor Plant (now AvtoDiesel) - was founded in 1916 in the city of Yaroslavl. Previously, the company produced trucks and buses; since 1971 is engaged in the manufacture of power units. Reliable units of the YaMZ 236/238 families are used in a variety of vehicles of various manufacturers (MAZ, OOO LiAZ, GAZ, KamAZ, UralAZ ...). Due to the bankruptcy, and later the partial demolition of the Kharkov engine plant "Sickle and Hammer", which supplied diesel engines to Russia, YaMZ started production of its own new diesel engines YaMZ 534/536 of its own design, which they did not produce before. This modernization has made it possible to significantly facilitate the work of Russian engineering companies. In particular, the Rostselmash combine plant was forced to install more powerful and expensive V-shaped engines YaMZ-238, for DON-1500 combines. After the development of its in-line engines, such a need has disappeared, as has the dependence on foreign manufacturers.


Table 3 Russian engine manufacturers: turbojet, gas turbine and rocket engines, steam and gas turbines
No
English Name
Address
Comments
3.1
JSC Aviadvigatel
http://www.avid.ru/

An enterprise in Perm, a developer of gas turbine engines for civil aviation, as well as industrial gas turbine units for power engineering, gas and oil transportation, and a supplier of gas turbine power plants. The developer of the newest Russian engine PD-14.
3.2
Voronezh Mechanical Plan
http://www.vmzvrn.ru/
The manufacturer of liquid rocket engines in the city of Voronezh.
3.3
JSC "Klimov"
http://www.klimov.ru/
l   The company in St. Petersburg, one of the leading Russian developers of gas turbine engines. It produces engines for most Mil and Kamov helicopters, as well as jet engines for fighter aircraft.
3.4
PJSC "Kuznetsov"
l   http://www.kuznetsov-motors.ru/


The enterprise in the city of Samara is a manufacturer of liquid rocket engines, which also produces aviation turbojet and industrial gas turbine engines.
3.5
The Moscow machine-building enterprise named after V. Chernyshev
http://www.avia500.ru/

An enterprise that produces engines for light front-line fighters, training aircraft, helicopters, local air lines, light transport aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles.
3.6
Nevsky Plant
https://www.reph.ru/about/enterprise/nevskij_zavod/
l   Manufacturer of stationary steam and gas turbines, as well as centrifugal and axial compressors and superchargers, St. Petersburg.
3.7
ODK - Gas turbines (the former Volzhsky machine-building plant)
NA
Manufacturer of stationary gas turbines and gas pumping units, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Region.
3.8
Omsk Engine Building Design Bureau
http://24ri.ru/down/open/npo-saturn-i-ao-omkb-budut-vmeste-delat-dvigateli-dlja-krylatyh-raket.html

The developer and manufacturer of small gas turbine engines in the city of Omsk. Since 2017, NPO Saturn has been running.
3.9
Omsk Engine Building Association. P. I. Baranova
NA
Branch of the NPC of gas turbine construction "Salyut" in the city of Omsk. It produces mainly aircraft engines - turbojets, turboprops and gas turbines.
3.10
Perm Engine Plant (UDK-Perm Motors)
http://www.pmz.ru/

The manufacturer of aircraft engines for civil and military aviation, industrial gas turbine plants for power plants and gas transportation. In particular, it produces engines for Il-76, Il-96, Tu-204, Tu-214 aircraft. At this enterprise, the serial production of the PD-14 engine and the long-range PD-35 will be carried out.
3.11
SPC of gas turbine construction "Salyut"
http://www.salut.ru/
The company in Moscow, produces aircraft gas turbine engines, is a member of the United Engine-Building Corporation. The main activity is participation in a large-scale Russian import substitution program for helicopter and marine engines.
3.12
NGO Saturn
http://www.npo-saturn.ru/
l   An enterprise in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Region, which produces gas turbine engines and units for military and civil aviation, power generating and gas pumping plants, ships and ships.
3.13
Ufa Engine Building Production Association (UMPO)
http://www.umpo.ru/

l   The company, which produces aircraft engines, is a part of the United Engine Corporation. Serially produces turbojet engines for Su-35S family aircraft (Article 117 C), Su-27 (AL-31F), Su-30 family (AL-31F and AL-31FP engine), Su-25 family (Р-95Ш and Р -195), units of helicopter equipment for helicopters "Ka" and "Mi."
3.14
The Fakel Design Bureau
http://npofakel.ru/

The enterprise in Kaliningrad is one of the world's leading manufacturers of low-thrust electric and low-thrust catalytic engines for space vehicles.

3.15
NGO Energomash them. Academician VP Glushko
http://engine.space/

l   One of the world's leading manufacturers of liquid rocket engines.


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↧

Australian farmers benefit from Trump's US versus China trade war

April 1, 2018, 9:29 pm
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Comment: China, by its imposition of agricultural tariffs on the US, but not on Australia, can drive a type of economic wedge between important US and Australian market interests. While (loyal to the US) Australian politicians would be reluctant to say it out loud Australian farmers are to benefit greatly from Trump's US versus China trade war. What is an increased Chinese tariff led market loss for American farmers is a market gain for Australian farmers who face no such tariff increases.

News: On April 2, 2018 comes the happy tiding: "China says it is rolling out new tariffs on meat, fruit, wine and other products from the United States as retaliation against taxes approved by US President Donald Trump on imported steel and aluminium."

[The China imposed tariffs] are in response to tariffs of 10 per cent on aluminium and 25 per cent on steel that have also angered US allies. Trump, however, has temporarily suspended [any aluminium or steel tariffs on] the European Union as well as any on] Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea.

Comment: So Australia has not yet been caught in any trade war downsides, yet. Australia has not been hit with Trump's aluminium or steel tariffs yet. Fortunately Australia is already a heavy exporter of meat [see below], fruit and wine to China. So these Australian agricultural exports to China merely need to increase.

Table of Australian agricultural exports to China 1995 to 2011. The Table is courtesy National Australia Bank (NAB) April 22, 2015 which reports:  “...Chinese demand for premium and high quality Australian food products, such as beef and other meat, has increased dramatically in the last two years. In 2013, Australian exports in beef to China increased nearly four times, oil seeds five times, and meat exports doubled year-on-year...”

Pete
↧

Nuclear Tipped Babur-3 Ambiguities and Dangers

April 2, 2018, 11:11 pm
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Ankit Panda for The Diplomat (paysite) April 01, 2018 has made some useful points here regarding the second successful flight test of Pakistan's Babur-3 nuclear-capable submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) particularly: 

"...The ability of the Babur-3 SLCM to launch from torpedo tubes might allow for demating the delivery system and the warheads dissembled onboard a submarine - an option that is more difficult and usually impossible with vertically loaded cruise missile launchers. Pakistan has not confirmed what sorts of use controls it will use on board its submarines to prevent unauthorized or accidental launches..."

See the full Diplomat (paysite) ARTICLE HERE 

PETE COMMENT

Some dangerous ambiguities and situations about the Babur-3 exist for (Indian and of course Pakistani) decision makers in any Pakistani-Indian naval and/or strategic conflict. This includes:

1.  the Babur-3 can be launched from a mere SSK (and not a presumed to be nuclear missile firing
     nuclear propelled submarine).

2.  a just fired land attack Babur-3 warhead may be innocuously conventional rather than
     Armaggedon nuclear.

3.  destruction of a Pakistani SSK might seem to India to be just part of conventional war, but if that
     SSK carried nuclear warheads for Babur-3s then the destruction of that SSK may be nuclear war
     starting for Pakistan, and

4.  if the use-controls on nuclear warheads for Babur-3s are weak the Captain of the SSK that is about
     to be destroyed may be inclined to use/fire his nuclear tipped Baburs before he "loses" them.

Submarine Matters has reported on the Hatf-7 (or VII) /Babur cruise missile frequently over the years.
↧

Revised Table Comparing Iranian, Russian, German, French & Japanese Submarine Diesels

April 3, 2018, 5:30 am
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Since Anonymous produced Table Comparing Russian, German, French & Japanese Submarine Diesels of March 15, 2018 Anonymous has added the Iranian Ghadir-class submarine and added and/or revised figures indicated in Blue. Some fields (like Country, Make and Type) could only fit in vertically.

Enjoy this super Table of Specifications of modern diesels for submarine


Country[14]
　
　
IR
AN
RU
SS
IA
RU
SS
IA
RU
SS
IA
RU
SS
IA
GE
RM
AN
Y
GE
RM
AN
Y
FR
AN
CE
FR
AN
CE
JA
PAN
JA
PAN
Make
　
　
S
A
D
R
A
 /
 I
S
O
I
C
O
K
O
R
A
B
E
L
K
O
R
A
B
E
L
U
D
M
Z
U
D
M
Z
MTU
MTU
MAN
Diesel
 &
Turbo
MAN
Diesel
 &
Turbo
K
a
w
a
s
a
k
i
K
a
w
a
s
a
k
i
Type
　
　
G
h
a
d
i
r

c
l
a
s
s

s
u
b

[A]

[15]
4
-
2
D
L
4
2
M
 7
-
2
D
4
2
M
D
M
-
1
8
5
V
1
2
M

[B]
[11]
D
M
-
1
8
5
V
1
2
S

[B]
 [12]
16V
396
SE84
12V
4000
U83
8PA4
V200
SM
12
PAV
200
SM
DS
12
V25
/25
SB
12
V25
/31S
Application
　
　
Sub
Sub
Sub
Surf
Sub
Sub
Sub
Sub
Sub
Sub
Sub
Parameter
Symbol
unit
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
Bore
d
mm
90
300
300
185
185
165
170
200
200
250
250
Stroke
s
mm
100
380
380
215
215
185
190
210
210
250
310
Rated speed [2]
n
rpm
2000
700
750
1900
1500
1800
1800
1300
1300
1200
1200
No. of cylinder
Z
‐
6
6
6
12
12
16
12
6
12
12
12
Mechanical output
SkW
kW
110
1000
1500
2416
1933
1200
1300
700
1330
2500
3100
Cylinder capacity [4]
v
l
0.64
26.9
26.9
5.76
5.76
3.95
4.31
6.69
6.59
12.2
15.2
Net mean effective Pressure [5]
Pme
MPa
1.73
1.06
1.49
2.20
2.23
1.26
1.67
1.63
1.55
1.70
1.70
Piston speed [1]
Cm
m/s
6.7
8.9
9.5
13.6
10.8
11.1
11.4
9.1
9.1
10.0
12.4
Electrical output [6]
SE
kW
88
800
1200
1933
1546
960
1040
560
1064
2000
2480
Specific electrical output
SE*
kW/l
22.9
4.97
7.43
27.5
22.0
15.1
20.1
14.1
13.4
13.5
13.5
Output　at snorting [7]
SEsn
kW
79
720
1080
1740
1392
864
936
504
958
1800
2232

[A] Specification of diesel of Ghadir-class, Iranian midget submarine is very roughly estimated. Mechanical output of Ghadir diesel is around 100kW.

[B] Net mean effective pressure demonstrated high performance of DM-185V12. 12PAV200SMDS needs further improvement. 

[1] Piston speed = Stroke x Rated speed / 30000

[2] Based on product catalog or data from this blog.

[3] [9] page 3,” Table 1 Performance and emission targets DM-185 Engine Family”. Others are based on product catalog or data from this blog.

[4] Cylinder capacity = (Bore/2)^2 x Stroke x 3.14 / 1000

[5]Pme = (600 x SkW)/((3.141x d^2/400) x (s/1000) x n x Z / 2)                                                                                                                                                                                                   
[6] Electrical output of DM-185V12S = Electrical output of DM-185V12G x 0.8. Electrical output of DM-185V12G is in [11]. For others, Electrical output = Mechanical output x 0.8 (= power factor)

[7] Electrical output at snorting = Electrical output x 0.9 (= assumed figure based on [8]).

[8] SUBMARINE POWER AND PROPULSION: BALANCING THE ENERGY ELEMENTS, 
January 2012, page2 John Buckingham.

[9] http://souztrade.ru/dizelnye-dvigateli-dm-185/

[10] http://jxpt.whut.edu.cn:81/meol/common/script/preview/download_preview.jsp?fileid=517881&resid=63750&lid=5030

[11] Ibid, page3, [9] page 3,” Table 1 Performance and emission targets DM-185 Engine Family”.

[12] Hypothetical DM-185 diesel generator for submarine applications. All data of DM-185 12VS are estimation.

[13] Specific electrical output =Electrical output per unit capacity = Electrical output / (Cylinder capacity x No. of cylinder)

[14] IR = Iran, Ru=Russia, DE=Germany, FR=France, JP=Japan

[15]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghadir-class_submarine Ghadir-class sub is based on the North Korean Yono class submarine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yono-class_submarine). As there is no information on diesel of Ghadir-class, estimation of its features is based on various assumption as follows:
(1) Diameters of intake tubes are ca.20cm and 60cm for Ghadir and Soryu based on pictures, and the Diameter reflects bore size. 
(2)  Considering low vibration and size of submarine, L6 diesel is used.
(3)  Maximum rated speed is 2000rpm [16], because of long intake tube.
(4)  Volumetric efficiency is maximum at 7m/s of piston speed.
(5)  Net mean effective Pressure of modern diesel is 1.6-2.0MPa 

[17]. Assumptions (1)-(5) and try & error results in data on Ghadir diesel.

[16] http://www.geocities.jp/bequemereise/air_capacity.html

[17] https://nippon.zaidan.info/seikabutsu/2002/00198/contents/007.htm

Anonymous
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Search

Russian Built Kilo Submarines Exported to China - Propulsion

April 5, 2018, 12:56 am
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Russia has built and exported a total of 12 Kilo submarines to China since the early 1990s, including:

-  2 original Kilos designated Project 877EKM, and

-  10 Improved Kilo of Project 636 (including 2 x 636.1s and 8 x 636Ms).

In the 1990s andd early 2000s these Kilos were quite standard to advanced submarines. So it is assumed China looked at these exports as a technology transfer, reverse-engineering opportunity. It is assumed the Chinese Song and Yuan submarines owe much to the Kilo design, for example the Songs and Yuans retain the Kilos double hull and (vertical-horizontal edge) "square" sail/fin.

It is not known the extent China reverse engineered the Kilo diesels to drive the Songs and Yuans. This is because MAN, Rolls Royce and MTU may have made superior marine diesels for submarine available to China.
  
Kilo Project 877EKM Propulsion

The Russian wikipedia entry on the original export Kilo 877EKM (or ECM) provides details on the “Powerplant”: Kilo 877 submarines have a single-shaft power plant with 2 x 4-2DL42M diesels, each of 1000 kW at 700 rpm. These diesels work with PG-142 generators.
[But then the Russian to English translation gets confusing with: "The row motor [?] of the PG-101 model has a power of 4 MW at 500 rpm and is duplicated by an electric motor of the economic stroke type PG-140 (139 kW at 150 rpm).”[3] Two reserve propellers of the "screw in tube" type are located in the semi-ring tunnels in the aft part inside the light hull of the boat [4] and are driven into rotation by the reserve electric motors PG-168 (2 x 75 kW at 650 rpm)." [3]
[but fortunately translation becomes clearer with] "The battery type 446 consists of two groups of 120 elements each, and is located on the lower decks of the 1st and 3rd compartments. Its energy capacity is enough for 400 miles of underwater speed at a speed of 3 knots. The reserve under the RDP is 6000 miles on 7 knots."

Tables A and B below have been modified from English Wikipedia

TABLE A Russian 877 Kilos Exported to China

Operator
Pennant #
Name
Project
Laid down
Commis
sioned
Status
China
364
Yuan Zheng 64 Hao
877EKM
???
Nov 1994
active 2007
China
365
Yuan Zheng 65 Hao
877EKM
???
Aug 1995
active 2007



Kilo Project 636 (636.1 and 636M) Propulsion 

As with the earlier Kilo 877EKMs, Kilo 636s (636.1 and 636M) use 2 x Two 4-2DL42M diesels. They are L6 type diesels with 300mm of bore and 380mm of stroke. Using PG-142 generators they generate 1000kW of electrical output at 700 rpm. 

TABLE B Russian 636 "Improved" Kilos Exported to China

Operator
Pennant #
Name
Project
Laid down
Commis
sioned
Status
China
366
Yuan Zheng 66 Hao
636.1
Jul 1996
Aug 1997
active 2006
China
367
Yuan Zheng 67 Hao
636.1
Aug 1997
Oct 1998
active 2006
China
368
Yuan Zheng 68 Hao
636M
Oct 2002
Oct 2004
active 2006
China
369
Yuan Zheng 69 Hao
636M
Oct 2002
2005
active 2006
China
370
Yuan Zheng 70 Hao
636M
2004
2005
active 2006
China
371
Yuan Zheng 71 Hao
636M
2004
2005
active 2006
China
372
Yuan Zheng 72 Hao
636M
2005
2006
active 2006
China
373
Yuan Zheng 73 Hao
636M
Jul 1992
Aug 2005
active 2007
China
374
Yuan Zheng 74 Hao
636M
May 2003
Dec 2005
active 2006
China
375
Yuan Zheng 75 Hao
636M
May 2003
Dec 2005
active 2006


More research will be done on the Russian Navy's Kilo 636.3s for which Anonymous has provided the details: 2 x 7-2D42M diesels are used for the Kilo 636.3s, They are L6 type diesels with 300mm of bore and 380mm of stroke. Using PG-167 generators they generate 1500kW of electrical output at 750 rpm. 

Six 636.3s are active in Russia's Black Sea Fleet and two to six 636.3s may be supplied to the Russian Pacific Fleet by the early 2020s. Russia may have eight Kilo 877s (some active, some laid up) in the Pacific Fleet.

Pete and Anonymous
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↧

Russian Navy and Export Kilo submarine issues & their diesels

April 5, 2018, 8:04 pm
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KQN made interesting comments on April 6, 2018 concerning Russia's Kilo submarines and their diesels. Pete has added comments in square [...] brackets Comment is:

"I think the main difference between the [more advaced Kilo diesel] 7-2D42M and [older] 4-2DL42 is the increased performance [of the 7-2D42M] using 2 stages turbochargers and intercoolers. 
[The 7-2D42M's increased performance (see the April 3, 2018 Table) includes 1500 kW mchanical output at 750 rpm. This compares with the 4-2DL42's 1000 kW at 700 rpm.]

[The 7-2D42M and 4-2DL42] trace their origins back to the 30/38 in the 1930s. [1] 

In my view the 30/38 is similar to the old British Gardner engines [2], they are both very economical low speed engines. None of the 30/38 variants, including the 7-2D42M, can run at speeds higher than 750rpm. 

I am speculating given these engines [have] long crankshafts, long stroke high torque, [the] Kilo SSK is optimized for low speed patrols [around 4 knots?], meaning running their engines at 400-500rpm.


Specifically for the six Kilo 636s exported to Vietnam or all 636s? One of two possible pump jet outlets can be seen as the hole immediately to the right of the propeller shroud and below the tail plane (or is that an exhaust outlet?) (photo courtesy DANVIET.vn via FDRA) 
---

One difference I notice between the Russian [Navy only] 636.3 and the [for export] 636.1 (looking at photos of the Vietnamese Kilo [above)]) is the existence of pump jet outlets on both sides, at the rear just below the horizontal tailplane on the 636.3. They are for very low speed [2 to 3 knots?]  shallow depth operation I think. 

[I'm] not sure where the auxiliary propellers on the [plain 636, 636M or] 636.1 are located. In my view the main weakness of the Kilo 636.3 or 636.1 is the sonar suite. Few Russian submarine designs have the prominent spherical bow [eg. on the Collins with torpedo tubes underneath] sonar due to the [obstructive] location of the Kilos torpedo tubes. With sonar, passive performance is directly related to the surface area. There are also no flank sonar arrays that I am aware of.

Russia needs to sell SSKs to get cash, especially in light of the vaporware that is the Kalina SSK. [not to mention endless delays in exporting a mature Amur class SSK]. So I think there are 4 potential areas for performance improvements on the Kilo SSK:

1.  improved sonar performance. May be add the flank arrays. Improved electronics (I have read [the
     Russians] use dated CPUs)
2.  replace Lead-acid batteries (LABs) with Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) [on newbuild Kilos, 
     Lada-Amurs and Kalinas]. This will require new [diesel-generator] gensets.
3.  optimize the sail/fin, better meshing with the hull
4.  better skewed propeller design. If you compare the German type 212 propeller to the 636
     propeller, you can clearly see the German propeller is much better."

KQN

[1]  This may refer to the six cylinder Kolomna [D42?] 30/38 with 30/38 meaning 300mm bore and 380mm stroke. (see IUSS Alumni Association website).]

[2]  During World War II (1939–1945) British multipurpose diesel builder, L. Gardner and Sons Ltd's war work consisted mainly of building diesel engines of their own design. Their 4LK bus engines were also used as the main powerplant in the Royal Navy’s X class and XE class midget submarines.

KQN and Pete
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Russia Considers its Diesels for Kilo Project 636 "slightly inferior"

April 8, 2018, 11:41 pm
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On April 7, 2018 Anonymous commented:

The official details of Russia'D49 and D42 are introduced in [2] and [3]. JSC "Kolomensky Zavod" produces diesel engines on the basis of two standard sizes [1]:

-  Д49=D49 (ЧН26/26=ChN26/26; bore 260mm, stroke 260mm) D49s are V8, V10, V16 and V20
   diesel engines (8ChN26/26, 10ChN26/26, 16ChN6/26, 20ChN26/26) [2], and are used for general, 
   surface Navy andsubmarines[1].

and

-  Д42=D42 (ЧН30/38=ChN30/38, bore 300mm, 380mm). D42s are L6 and L8 diesel engines
   (6Ch30/38, 8Ch30/38) and 6Ch30/38 is used for general [3], Navy and Kilo Project 636s.

Photo at left Fig. 6 proatom document"Diesel engines 6 ЧН30 / 38" or 6CН30/38 "slightly inferior" to Western submarine diesels?

---

[Pete Comment - Significantly footnote [1] says “In terms of their parameters, these engines are slightly inferior to foreign analogues for the submarine fleet.” That being the case, one can assume that Russia values highly assitance on submarine diesels from Rolls-Royce MTU in Russia and MAN Diesel & Turbo Russia].

[1] http://www.proatom.ru/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=7504

[2]http://www.propulsionplant.ru/dvigateli/dizelnye-dvigateli/proizvodstvennoe-obedinenie-kolomenskii-zavod/dizeli-tipa-chn2626.html

[3]http://www.propulsionplant.ru/dvigateli/dizelnye-dvigateli/proizvodstvennoe-obedinenie-kolomenskii-zavod/dizeli-tipa-chn3038.html A turbocharger 2TK or 6TK (TK-38) is adopted, but two stage air cooling/two stage turbocharger system is adopted for 6Ch30/38 (2-7D42) for Kilo Project 636.3 [4].

[4]https://www.korabel.ru/equipment/item_view/345171.html

Anonymous 
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China's Alleged Basing Legitimate on Vanuatu Island Nation

April 9, 2018, 9:38 pm
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---

In the last 24 hours reports (see below) have been published about Vanuatu being in not completely verified preliminary talks with its main creditor, China, on possible future Chinese bases on Vanuatu. The positioning of a Chinese naval bases there could isolate/blockade Australian east coast, New Zealand and France's New Caledonian shipping. At an air base Chinese air refueled bombers, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles based at Vanuatu could be a threat to Australia and New Zealand.

Vanuatu (also see CIA Factbook entry) is a tiny South Pacific nation of islands, with just over 270,000 people. Formerly called the New Hebrides, Vanuatu gained independence from Britain and France in 1980. Vanuatu is a poor country, reliant on aid and loans (including from China). Vanuatu's main industries are low levels of agriculture, tourism, offshore financial services, and raising cattle.

COMMENT

Western governments are opposing alleged Chinese basing intentions with the argument "China is Militarising the Pacific"

This forgets the US's massive Pacific naval and air bases at Guam (Mariana Islands), Pearl Harbour (Hawaii) as well as bases at Japan / Okinawa and in South Korea. 

There are major Australian Pacific naval bases "Fleet Base East" Sydney Harbour and major New Zealand base at Devonport / Auckland.

On a more minor scale is France's stationing of two French Floreal class frigates in the South Pacific with one the Vendémiare at Noumea, New Caledonia (which is very near to Vanuatu), and the frigate Prairial based at Papeete, Tahiti.

China (only a possible coloniser since 1949) is late to Pacific island base colonising. Other powers (eg. US and France) have secured Pacific island bases, originally by force, for over a century. China's lateness does not make its right/claims illegitimate.

ARTICLES

Main article by Fairfax news (Sydney Morning Herald) most cited: 

1.  https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/china-eyes-vanuatu-military-base-in-plan-with-global-ramifications-20180409-p4z8j9.html

Background article by Fairfax news (Sydney Morning Herald)

2.  https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-a-group-of-tiny-islands-near-australia-figure-in-beijing-s-redrawing-of-the-map-20180409-p4z8mb.html

Two shorter articles by Australia's government owned ABC News:

3.  http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/pacific-beat/2018-04-10/reported-talks-of-chinese-military-base-in-vanuatu/9635992

4.  http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/pacific-beat/2018-04-10/reports-of-chinese-military-proposal-in-vanuatu/9636176

Pete
↧

A Kilo Submarine's Impeller Tunnels (Internal Thrusters) Diagram Revealed *

April 11, 2018, 2:14 am
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Diagram 1. (Courtesy sourmasov(dot)eu) indicates the openings of the the starboard impeller tunnel in a Kilo 877's or 636's light hull.
--- 

Diagram 2. A Kilo 877 or 636 turned vertically to display its main and "economical" motors and propeller. Of greater interest is the two impeller tunnels (labelled "Auxiliary Propeller) port and starboard. This may be the first appearance of this diagram on the English Internet *. (Foreign source). * but every piece of information or diagrams that seem especially "new" need more evidence to verify their accuracy...
---


From two Anonymous sources, early April 2018, propulsion information for Kilo submarines have been put together. Kilos are equipped with a main propulsion propeller served by one main propulsion motor of around 5.5 MW up to 500 rpm. 

At high speeds, the main propulsion motor is connected to the shaft. The shaft speed (propeller speed) is reduced by the main propulsion motor’s reduction gear (eg. max speed of 500 rpm is significantly higher than propeller speed, eg. max speed 250 rpm). 

At very low speeds (perhaps less than 3 knots) <3 knots="" nbsp="" span="">the main propulsion motor is not connected to the shaft and the main propeller is driven only by a small ("Economical Prop Motor in Diagram 2.) propulsion motor to achieve "economical" (less battery use) and silent operation.3>

Kilos (both the 877s and 636s) also use two small pump impellers (can also be called internal thrusters but for submarine) in two tunnels (see the two diagrams below especially Diagram 2.). These can be for:

i)             for very low speed manoeuvring,
ii)           or staying still in a current (eg. while releasing or retrieving special forces divers).

The pump impellers are set inside tunnels in the Kilo submarines light, external, hull. Kilo submarines have a double hull structure consisting of the external light hull and the inner pressure hull. * but this impeller information and Diagrams that seem especially "new" needs more evidence to verify accuracy...

It is not known how common pump impellers are in Western and Northeast Asian (Japanese, South Korean and Chinese) submarines.

As reduction gear vibrates at high speed, the Improved Kilo 636.3 (built only for the Russian Navy) seems to have a louder acoustic fingerprint than more modern submarines (designed by TKMS, Naval Group, KHI-MHI or Saab) driven by PSMS or DC motor without reduction gear. 

The Kilo appears to be too old in many respects and a new Russian conventional submarine design with modern technologies such as PSMS, AIP, LIBs and higher power diesels is needed. However with most of Russia’s submarine design budget going to Russia’s nuclear propelled submarines there is insufficient money to bring Russian conventional submarines up to Western or Northeast Asian  standards.

Anonymouses and Pete
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Russian submarines exhibited at Defexpo Chennai India April 11-14, 2018

April 11, 2018, 7:23 pm
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MOSCOW, April 11. 2018 /TASS/ http://tass.com/defense/999002:

"Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) will demonstrate five projects of conventional submarines of various classes and water displacement, including a submarine equipped with the air-independent propulsion system, at the Defexpo India 2018 arms show, the USC press office told TASS on Wednesday.

The land, naval and internal homeland security systems exhibition Defexpo India runs in Chennai, India, on April 11-14.

"The Project 636 submarine with the Club-S missile system, the conventional submarine Amur-1650 with the air-independent propulsion power plant, the P-650 small coastal submarine, the Piranya-T small coastal submarine, the Project 877 EKM diesel-electric submarine," the USC said, responding to the corresponding question.

The Project 877 and Project 636 diesel-electric submarines, and also Amur-1650 underwater cruisers were developed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau 

while small sabotage submarines (P-650 and Piranya-T) were created by the Malakhit Design Bureau..."


Also see a TASS 2016 article 'Black holes' of the Russian Navy focusing on the Kilo 636.6.
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South China Sea - Probing Short of Confrontation

April 11, 2018, 7:42 pm
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The Chinese Hong Kong based South China Morning Post, April 12, 2018 reportsin part.

Chinese navy stages double show of strength as US strike group drills in disputed South China Sea - 
PLA puts aircraft carrier and submarines through their paces as USS Theodore Roosevelt passes through contested waterway.

The Chinese navy began a three-day drill yesterday near its main submarine base [at Yulin, Hainan Island/Province] as another exercise finished nearby in what analysts described as a message to the United States that it was capable of defending its core interests...”
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Dangerous Times 1. Mediterranean - US/UK-Russia - Probing Short of Confrontation

April 11, 2018, 7:50 pm
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Business Insider Australia, April 12, 2018 reports regarding US preparations to fire Tomahawk missiles at Syria and Russia's show of force:

“...Russia’s navy appears to have responded to President Donald Trump’s warning that US missiles are headed to Syria, as well as the US Navy’s deployment of an aircraft carrier to the region.

The Russian military has said it is tracking the movements of the US Navy. In the past, the US has used Navy ships to attack Syria.

Eleven Russian navy ships were seen leaving [Tartus] a port in Syria, but an expert said it could be a bluff...”

Russia's Sputnik Newsadds April 11, 2018:

"...According to the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper, Britishsubmarines have been ordered to move within [Tomahawk] missile range of Syria, as strikes against the Assad regime are expected as early as Thursday night..."

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How Could Taiwan Build A Submarine? Teardrop Solution.

April 12, 2018, 10:55 pm
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After years of diplomatic inactivity the US has decided to license to Taiwan several major aspects of  conventional (diesel-electric) submarine. The very low amount (maybe only around US$100 million) Taiwan has budgeted to design its future submarines is just one indicator that Taiwan is not aiming to build a major new design. Taiwan's determination to build an existing teardrop design is highlighted in the display of Taiwan's teardrop model (see photo below) very similar to Taiwan's existing Hai Lung class submarines.

To minimize existing Chinese pressure against Taiwan designing and building submarines (considered by China potent strategic weapons) Taiwan may build an existing teardrop design. Designs for which Taiwan, the US, Japan and the Netherlands already have plans. Taiwan already has two teardrop design Dutch built Hai Lung class submarines commissioned in 1987-88. The Hai Lungs are based on the Dutch Zwaardvis class which in turn are based on the US Barbelclass.

Japanese contractors might also assist Taiwan. This is noting Japan (inspired by the US Barbel class) developed and used the Uzushio class teardrop style submarines. See photo below of an Uzushio class on the surface.


The US's licensing decision (including new weapons, computers and sensors) can make an existing teardrop design a more formidable "modern" submarine.  Apparently "the [US] approvals cover a marketing license for a submarine combat management system, or CMS, along with a separate technical assistance agreement." 

A CMS typically covers the many hardware and software aspects of the submarine's weapons systems, sonar systems and photonics masts. It also covers the computerised command coordination between these systems to direct the weapons onto targets. The US has already licensed modern and potent submarine launched Harpoon missiles and Mark 48 torpedos to Taiwan. Anechoich tiles could also be applied to a teardrop hull.


The US could assist with its corporate records, including designs which went in building the Barbel class. Records would exist at the Pentagon, the US Navy run Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, in Kittery, Maine and at what was Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi (now Huntington Ingalls Industries).

Contractors once in Netherland's RH Marine might also assist. As in 2017 they were involved in overhauling Taiwan's Hai Lung class submarine electronics and integration of their platform and electromechanical systems. 


Taiwan's CSBC model of a teardrop hull style future submarine (above) displayed at the September 2016, Kaohsiung International Maritime and Defence Exhibition, arms exhibition, Taiwan. Notice this model's striking similarity with Taiwan's current teardrop hull style Hai Lung class, submarines (below).
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Note how similar the photo of the model is to this cut away of  Taiwan's Hai Lung class submarines, commissioned in 1987-88 (Diagram courtesy Dutch Submarines . com)
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BACKGROUND-COMMENTS

Even as fare back as 2016 Taiwan had advanced plans to develop its eight future submarines. Taiwan appears to be avoiding designing a totally new submarine on cost and Chinese pressure grounds. Instead Taiwan wants to utilize as many of the designs and components of its two existing Dutch built Hai Lung class submarines as possible.

From 15 to 18 September 2016, at Taiwan’s Kaohsiung International Maritime and Defence Exhibition, Taiwan was indicating it is getting more realistic about building 4 to 8 teardrop style submarines. Taiwan's Indigenous Defence Submarine Project is known as the "Qianlong Project".

Based on the Exhibition Media Release via MarketWired Taiwan’s China Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) created the Submarine Development [Design] Center of CSBC (SDCC)) in August 2016. The design contract, which is understood to be worth around US$95 million, is expected to be issued by the Taiwanese government before the end of 2016 and may run until 2019. 

Taiwan’s Ming Rong Yuan Business Co., LTD. ("one of the world's largest manufacturers of pressure vessels") has joined forces with various domestic research institutes to develop submarine pressure hulls. Ming Rong Yuan Business Co., LTD, at the Kaohsiung arms exhibition, exhibited a miniature model made of high strength low alloy (HSLA) pressure hull steel. HSLA-80 alloy steel has properties making it "easy to handle". HSLA-80 is actually produced by Taiwan's China Steel Corporation.


Japan's no longer used teardrop style Uzushio class submarine. While Uzushios no longer exist the original builders (Japan's MHI, KHI and Ministry of Defense) still have the design plans and could assist Taiwan to design and even construct a future teardrop submarine. (Photo courtesy seaforces(dot)org).
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Pete
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Attacks on Syria Provided Unsurpassed Missile Testing Opportunities

April 16, 2018, 10:11 pm
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Rarely do air and sea forces get the opportunity to test multi-million dollar missile systems in actual "fire in anger" conditions. US, UK and French missile strikes on Syrian targets on April 14, 2018 intentionally deployed the widest range (5 or 6 types) of missiles possible from as many air and sea platforms possible. Only in real war conditions can a missile's efficiency, reliability and accuracy be fully tested. 

The US/UK Tomahawk missile has been thoroughly tested in battle by submarine and surface ship launch, but the attack on Syria probably provided the first real war opportunity to fire JASSM-ER, Storm Shadow, French versionSCALP and MdCN version missiles.    

Salim Kahraman for Turkey's Ahval News has provided excellent graphics and reporting on the April 14, 2018 US, UK and French missile strikes on Syrian targets: 

"World powers show off advanced weaponry in Syrian war"  Apr 17 2018, "...The United States, France and Britain last week launched 105 missiles on three on Syrian chemical weapons facilities without any aircraft entering Syrian air space or coming within range of its anti-air systems...The latest coalition strikes directly targeted Syrian government chemical weapon sites - a scientific research centre in the capital Damascus, a chemical weapons facility west of the city of Homs and a chemical weapons bunker near the same western city. Nine buildings were destroyed .

Barzah research centre was targeted by only U.S. forces with 57 Tomahawkmissiles and 19JASSM-ER missiles launched from a pair of Qatar-based B-1 bombers.
Graphics courtesy MBDA, MOD via Agency France Press (AFP).
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The Him Shinshar chemical weapons facility was hit by nine U.S. Tomahawks missiles, eight British Storm Shadow missiles, three MdCN missiles launched from French frigate Languedoc and two French SCALP missiles.
...The Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker was struck by only French forces, with seven SCALP missiles.  
The strikes displayed U.S. naval superiority with Tomahawk missiles fired from the destroyers USS Monterey and the USS Laboon in the Red Sea, USS Higgins in the Gulf and submarine USS John Warner [see USNI article below] in the eastern Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Mediterranean surprisingly did not fire any missiles.
UK, French and US air and sea missile firing platforms. Click here for much larger map. 
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U.S. officials said no missiles were intercepted.
...France participated in the strikes with five warships and at least 13 aircraft flying from air bases around France. Britain’s forces consisted of four aircraft flying from Cyprus. British submarines could not reach the area in time for the attacks.
The use of so many missiles to destroy just nine buildings was possibly more a show of strength than a necessary use of force.
The French strikes conducted were carried out with indigenous weaponry, aircraft and warships. It was the inaugural combat use of the McDN land attack missile, which is the naval variant of the air-launched SCALP land-attack cruise missile] and demonstrates that France has a deep strike capability alongside the United States, Russia and Britain." See theWHOLE AHVAL NEWS ARTICLE

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On USS John Warner Virginia class (SSN-785)  for USNIreports, April 16, 2018:

"THE PENTAGON — Saturday’s pre-dawn joint air strike against three Syrian chemical weapons facilities was notable not just for its success, but for also being the first time a Virginia-class submarine fired missiles in combat and the first time Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) were used tactically, USNI News has learned.



USS John Warner provides (1 or 2?) photonic masts' eye view of the launch of one of its Tomahawk cruise missiles at Syria.
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When attack boat USS John Warner (SSN-785) launched six Tomahawk land-attack missiles from the Eastern Mediterranean, it was the first time a Virginia-class submarine fired shots “in anger,” or at an enemy target rather than for testing or training purposes, according to a Navy spokesperson.

John Warner not only hit its assigned target but did so during its first deployment and while successfully evading a Russian sub-hunter, which was reportedly tracking a British Astute-class submarine also operating in the region, according to Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments." [see more reporting - scrolling a third way down - on other missiles fired].

Pete
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Comparing Kilo 877s with TKMS Type 212A

April 18, 2018, 2:05 am
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Further to Submarine Matters’ interest in Russian submarines Anonymous on April 13, 2018 provided the following data which Pete has put in the Table below.

Comparison between
submarines
older model
Kilo Project 877
TKMS Type 212A
also Todaro
When first launched
Sept 1980
March 2002
When last launched
Oct 1999
July 2015
(Todaro batch)
Propulsion motors
section length
4 motors = 2 main + 2 small “economical” “silent” motors, [1] 7m
1 PMSM 1.7m
Diesel engines
2, around 10m
1, around 10m
Fuel cell 2.8m
Non-propulsion hull length
56.1m
40.0m
Total
submarine length

70-73.8m (see
sidebar)
56.0m to
57.2m (2nd batch)
(see sidebar)

[1] Length of Kilo 877’s economic-silent motor + main motor (4.4MW) is around 7m. When compared to the 212A’s PMSM (of 2MW) at 1.7m long, miniaturization and simplification of propulsion motor system is probably necessary in Russian conventional submarines. 

Particularly in the narrows and rocky holes of the Baltic Sea, where the Kilo 877 encounters the 212A, the 212A having a much shorter length overall and having an X-plane tail may tend to make it more manoeuvrable hence able to hide in smaller holes than the Kilo 877. Although the effectiveness of the Kilo's internal thrusters/impeller tunnels may give Kilos some advantages (unassessible at this open source level). 


Diagram of Type 212A that highlights location and rough size of propulsion elements (Diagram courtesy Naval Technology).
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If 212A’s silent running Fuel Cell, (see above) at 2.8m long, is added into the comparison then the Kilo has less of an overly long propulsion problem.
Kilo Project 877 interior diagram above. (See much larger more readable diagram at source https://www.soumarsov.eu/Sous-marins/Post45/877/877_schemdet_agrandi.htm )

On the larger diagram the following parts can be identified:
1. Sonar base MGK-400 RUBIKON 
2. 533mm torpedo launch tubes 
3. First slice (section?) (Front / torpedoes) 
4. Anchor windlass 
5. Front panel  
6. Reserve torpedo with fast reloading device 
7. Front dive bars 
8. Life slots ?
9. Front battery 
10. MG-53 AVTOGRAF sonar interceptor
11. Bath ?
12. Attack periscope PK-8.5 
13. Periscope PZNG-8M 
14. Schnorchel mast 
15. Diver seat ?
16. Radar mast MRK-50 KASKAD
17. ZAVESA direction finder mast 
18. MRP-25 radar interceptor mast 
19. STRELA-3 surface-to-air missile lookout container 
20. Second slice (section)
21. PCNO ?
22. Third installment (section) (premises life) 
23. Rear battery 
24. Fourth installment (diesel generators) 
25. Diesel generator 
26. HP air cylinders 
27. Fifth installment (electric motors)
28. Main Electric Motor
 29. Standby Bus 
30. Sixth Trim (Rear) 
31. Rear Panel 
32. Silent Electric Motor
33. Rear dive bar and rudder press 
34. Vertical drift.

This Youtube below (presented by Gisoo Misha Ahmady in traditional dress) is inside one of Iran's three largest submarines of the Russian (Saint Petersburg) built Iranian TAREG variant (Kilo class Project 877s). We can understand the difficulty of maintaining and monitoring the 877's Lead-acid batteries (LABs). In the loss of Argentine submarine ARA San Juan one of the LAB section was flooded with seawater resulting hydrogen gas leakage, on ignition fire, then catastrophic explosion. 



On the mainly English language Youtube above see: 

2 minute 31 seconds in to 2mins 48 secs : A crewman, in hot, humid, conditions manually measures
     the specific density of sulfuric acid in LABs. This density reduces with potentially dangerous 
     hydrogen discharge?

More specifically at:

  2:31 the crewman is checking LABs on the keel, because heights of right and left hand sides of
        LABs are the same.
  2:40 : Other LABs are on left hand side. They are also checked. Female announcer says there are 
         "roughly 80 members of the crew!"Is it the same crew size in Indian Kilos?

Anonymous and Pete
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Naval Bases in Indo-Pacific - Vanuatu, Kanaky, Melanesian Spearhead Group

April 18, 2018, 10:40 pm
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In relation to headlines last week that Vanuatu has been discussing with China the issue of building (a, or some) Chinese bases on Vanuatu. Vanuatu and China on Tuesday 17 April 2018 denied the base intention rumours. On 19 April 2018 Vanuatu's Prime Minister assured Australia's Prime Minister that there were no basing intentions. The interesting map below has been made public.

See much larger image of map here. Map courtesy Australian Department of Defence and International Maritime Bureau a specialised division of the International Chamber Of Commerce.

The above map's key, on upper right corner, indicates:
-  Blue dots are US overseas bases (some US facilities in Singapore). These established, very large
    bases, underline how powerful the US presence has been since the 1940s.
-  Magenta dots are Chinese bases in China
-  Purple dots are Australian bases in Australia
-  Also note Magenta Circles are Chinese influenced dual-use ports (bases to be?) in Indian Ocean
   at:
   =  Gwadar (Pakistan)
   =  Hambantota (Sri Lanka)
   =  Chittagong (Bangladesh), and
   =  Sittwe (Myanmar)
   =  No mention of Maldives.

India's main bases (on Western Naval Command, Mumbai and Eastern Naval Command,  Visakhapatnam) are not identified.

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Question - Might tiny Vanuatu ($114 million Chinese loan money wharf) and (for that matter East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji) be added not as a bases, but as further Magenta Circled Chinese influenced dual-use ports in years to come?

An interesting response to such a question comes from

On April 14, 2018 an Anonymous provided some interesting insights:

[Re Pete saying] "'Such pressure may fall on East Timor'

[Anonymous says] 
No. The new Timor Sea treaty binds Dili to Australia and virtually ensures ET will become a military ally and protectorate. The concessions given would've been nonsensical otherwise.

re Vanuatu. China got a foothold in Vila by funding the Melanesian Spearhead [1]. West Papua and Kanaky [2] are aspiring nations. This gives China enormous potential leverage. An independent Kanaky or West Papua would need to repay China for support during the struggle. 

Neither Indonesia nor Australia would tolerate a Chinese base in E.Timor, nor Chinese interference in West Papua via Vanuatu. The interests of Canberra and Jakarta may be converging in a manner that may yet see Jakarta's long standing neutrality up for review. 

The trend will be strengthened if Trump indeed proves serious about a second iteration of the TPP." 

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesian_Spearhead_Group (MSG). The MSG is an intergovernmental organization composed of the four Melanesianstates of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and the "Kanaky" Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia.

[2] "Kanaky" in this context means a future independent Kanak nation replacing the French territory of New Caledonia. An independence referendum will be held in New Caledonia on
 4 November 2018 at which voters will be given the choice of remaining joined to France or becoming an independent country.

And finally Chinese aid to Pacific islands and to Timor-Leste (East Timor) above (cumulative figures 2006-2016). Australia is the largest donor to the region including Vanuatu, but China is rising as the "loaner" and donor that doesn't instruct how money should be used. (Map courtesy Lowy Institute via DEVPOLICYBLOG, April 11, 2018)
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Pete Comment

There are so many issues with China's rise in the broader region that it is easy to disregard the concerns of Pacific islands. 

 Pete
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