Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Britain’s Poet Laureate (1850-1892) wrote more than "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1854).
Prolific Tennyson also wrote an earlier poem "Ring Out, Wild Bells" (published 1850). Now days it rings out the old year and rings in the new, on New Year's Eve.
Ring Out, Wild Bells'wordshave deep meaning. Also bringing the poem to life is a sad and moving musical version by Canadian singer Alana Levandoski.
Italian companies would need German companies’ permission to export Type 212s. Type 212s have some diesel and structural limitations. Italy's future Type 212 NFS will be able to fully submerge longer because they will have fuel cell AIP and new Lithium-ion batteries.
For any future export of Type 212s from Italy’s Fincantieri, the Type 212’s unique structure and intellectual property rights should be considered. As 212s mount one diesel generator and have no center bulkhead [1], redundancy if the diesel fails and safety if water leaks should be concerning. Key technologies such as the floating deck, fuel cell AIP system, arrangement of batteries and the PERMASYN motor are patents of Germany’s SIEMENS and TKMS.
[1] According to standards for submarines [2], pressure tight bulkheads, including doors and equipment, are requirements for submarines. Then, 212A without center bulkhead might be refused by some potential customer navies.
[2] RULES FOR CLASSIFICATION Naval vessels DNV GL
Part 4 Sub-surface ships Chapter 1 Submarines
3.3 Pressure hull
3.3.2 In addition, component drawings of the pressure hull equipment shall be submitted including: — entry and exit hatches — door panels and door frames — block flanges — pressure hull wall penetrations and their arrangement incl. torpedo tubes — pressure tight bulkheads including doors and equipment — diver’s lockouts, if existing — escape trunks.
Anonymous _______________________________________
Cutaway diagram of a future Italian Type 212 NFS (Courtesy H I Sutton via navalnews)
3 mins 40 secs into this Sub Brief video China assisted Iran to develop the 500 ton Fateh-class submarine here https://youtu.be/7Ku2cOKXyZU and below. The mainly indigenous Fateh's small size and stealth makes it ideal for the narrows and shallow waters of the Persian Gulf.
The first Fateh was commissioned in February 2019 and it constitutes a threat to the much larger USN SSGN and surface ships that are currently visiting the Persian Gulf. 7:45 describes Fateh's weapons.
Sub Brief's"Captain Jive" 10:40 provides specs, as well as Iran's intention to build 20 Fatehs. The Fateh's range will permit it to sail into the Arabian and Red Seas and (with refueling) into the Mediterranean. This all means a threat to Israel's nuclear armed Dolphin subs.
14:10, a Fateh is being built for landlocked Caspian Sea service against competitors that may one day, again include Russia.
Anonymous has identifiedthe future Type 212CD E (for Common Design Expeditionary). This is a long-range submarine TKMS is marketing for the Netherland’s 4 x Submarine ReplacementProgram, versus Saab and Naval Group bids. See TKMS website.
See the stirring December 2, 2020 Youtube here and below.
1 min in - The 212CD E would be a joint TKMS-Netherlands build within the Netherlands - creating many long-term Dutch jobs. Dutch submarines will continue to be based at Den Helder (see TKMS website).
1:52 - words to the effect "TKMS is the world’s No.1 conventional submarine builder." Although is China now No.1? Mainly building for China and also Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand?
2.23 - animates the future 212CD contracted for Germany and Norway
2:28 - animates a future 212CD E for the Netherlands. Four torpedo tubes,
2:48 - [2 or more MTU or MAN] diesel engines and Fuel Cell AIP. Long range, hence "Expeditionary”, often called Oceanic operations.
COMMENT
Dutch submarines need the range to get to the Dutch Caribbeanand the Middle East to monitor communications.
The Dutch Navy would probably prefer a largish submarine of around 2,500 tons, like the Netherland’s existing Walrus-classbut Germany may be aiming for a smaller, cheaper, offering - more in line with Netherlands’ Finance Ministry hopes.
See many previous Netherlands' Submarine replacement articles, since 2015 at Submarine Matters,here.
StrategyPage, January 7, 2021 carries this Travel Advice for Russian Submariners. See article here.
“In late 2020 a Russian nuclear submarine had a bear problem. A brown bear and her cub swam up to the sub, which was docked at the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula [Rybachiy Nuclear Submarine Base] on the Pacific coast. Fearing the bears might stay awhile the sub commander called for a bear hunter who arrived with a shotgun that could kill the bear and not harm the hull, as a high-velocity rifle bullet would. First the cub was shot and fell off the sub. The mother, who looked ill and emaciated, did not follow and was shot dead as well.
What was interesting about this incident was that it was not unusual. There are over 10,000 brown bears in Kamchatka and not many people outside the naval base. Hunters are called out to kill bears who wander into or near the base or any other settlement and during 2020 at least fifty of them were killed. The bears are largely vegetarian but will kill and consume humans if they feel threatened, or very hungry.”
COMMENT
Polar bears may be even more dangerous. US submarines, coming from a frequent gun owning society, can be counted on to pack assault rifles to despatch bears that try to attack submariners.
But Russian or Chinese submariner icepack pedestrians may not be so “lucky”. Russian or Chinese submarine officers are advised to travel on the ice with a slow junior crewman they can outrun. Polar bears are, after all, carnivorous non-respecters of rank.
Three Polar bearsapproach the bow of Los Angeles-classsubmarine USS Honolulu (SSN 718) surfaced 280 miles from the North Pole. The bears checked out the boat for almost 2 hours before leaving. No animals were harmed during the making of this picture. (Photo courtesy US Navy via Wikipedia.) ---
India Today, on Jan 9, 2021 carries the Map Below on 3 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) sightings/captures.
Looking at the Map is:
UUV 1. - In March 2019, a UUV was found North of Singapore and East of Malaysia on the approaches to theStrait of Malacca.
UUV 2. - The next UUV was found on January 2020 near the Sunda Islands in the central Indonesian Archipelago, and
UUV 3. - The much reported UUV capture near Selayar Island, Indonesia, was on December 20, 2020.
MAP showing locations of the 3 Chinese(?) or other country's UUVs. (Map courtesy OSINT and Google Earth). ---
COMMENT
Most news agencies, and even specialist websites, have provided very geographically incorrect/ignorant and alarmist reports on the multiple UUV sightings. Such UUVs may not necessarily be of Chinese origin.
Probably the most helpful source is the map above.
TKMS continues to refine its Type 212CD E design bid in consultation with the Dutch Navy. There will be ongoing design changes even if the Dutch Navy makes a bid decision (versus Saab and Naval Group) in the early 2020s.
Following this earlier article on the future 212CD E (for Common Design Expeditionary) being marketed by TKMS. Anonymous has kindly reported(with some editing by Pete for improved English) the following:
Based on the TKMS Type 216, proposed for the Australian Navy's future submarine competition (finally won by Naval Group) [1], diesels for the 212CD E are considered as follows:
- Number: two or three diesels [2]
- Type: MTU 12V4000 [3]
- Location: under the bridge [4, 5]
[1]To achieve improved efficiency and reduced R&D costs the 212CD E might be based on 216 as well as Type 212A. Concerning the, so far, not built large 216, with specs at this link, the artworkright at the bottom, (at "1/3", "2/3" and "3/3") is particularly interesting. Also see 2 cutaways below, of the 216, from this articlenoting the Vertical Multi Purpose Lock behind the fin/sail.
[2] The future Netherlands’ submarine requires better safety and redundancy like the existing Walrus class submarine, which has 3 diesels engines. A baseline 212A design would never be accepted by the Netherlands because the 212A has only one diesel.
[3] Reduced magnetism for the hull and for other equipment is an important feature of the 212CD E. Non-magnetic stainless steel would be used for pressure hull material. In this context, reduction of magnetic mass of other equipment (such as diesels) would be an objective. The latest MTU 12V4000 diesel is suitable for the 212CD E. [See this MTU documentwhich recommends the MTU 4000 “The standard battery charging unit can easily be customized with project specific generators and mounting system for individual shock, acoustic and other Naval requirements – including magnetic signature reduction.” ]. The HY100 grade pressure hull of the Walrus submarine is made of non-magnetic steel. But the Walrus’s 3 x SEMT Pielstick 12PA4V200SM dieselsseem to be magnetic.
[4] The control room is always set under the bridge for submarines with periscopes. This places design constraints on a submarine. But as the 212CD E will instead use photonic masts there are not the same design constraints. To achieve a short exhaust pipe to reduce exhaust resistance and improve diesel efficiency the best location of diesels is under the bridge. (See 2:51 in this Youtube) The red rectangles may be a vertical launching system (VLS). If the Green square in front of propulsion motor (green) represents diesels, intake and the exhaust system, this will crowd/complicate the VLS system. Though this arrangement of diesels is suitable for a submarine with a single hull, it might be not suitable for a mixed single/double hull submarine.
[5] Again see 2:51 in this Youtube. Maybe the green square in front of propulsion motor (green) means AIP fuel cells and not diesels. Heavy diesels are mounted in a double suspension manner (diesel – suspension- floating deck – suspension- hull) which needs enough space under the diesels and a low center of gravity for the diesel position.
PETE COMMENT
As can be seen above, the interim design of the 212CD E raises many questions. Even if the Netherlands chooses a 212CD E bid or competing Saab or Naval Group bid in the early 2020sthere will be further changes to nail down a final design.
Here is a newly (days ago?) declassified SECRET/"NOFORN" (ie. US Eyes Only) document titled "A Free and Open Indo-Pacific". It is a US national security briefing prepared by White House staff.
The document contains a Cover Letter and US National Security Council further action description that were missing when the "000174" Attachment was released by the White House on January 5, 2021.
The White House released the whole document on January 13, 2021 to one Australian media outlet. The US aim may be mainly to show Trump/the White House did have a working Indo-Pacific alliance strategy after all.
Reading the document reveals the alliance objective is mainly to contain China.
India, Japan, Australia, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and Thailand are all mentioned in this document. It is useful to use the search function in it - to identify country mentions.
South Korea is developing a new submarine-launched ballistic missile [SLBM] and has tested the weapon at the Agency for Defense Development's Anheung test site [just southeast of central Seoul], according to a local press report.
Newsis reported [January 13, 2021] the SLBM was test launched from a ground platform and next-step underwater tests are scheduled for March [2021]. South Korea's military also conducted other SLBM tests in 2020 "several times," both on land and underwater, the report said.
...South Korean military sources did not deny domestic SLBM development on [January 13, 2021], according to Newsis. Sources told the news service Seoul has "secured hi-tech power" to "support peace on the Korean Peninsula, by building up strong military power," the report said.
In March [2021] Seoul is expected to carry out an underwater SLBM test by deploying a 3,000-ton Dosan Ahn Changho-class [KSS-III] submarine. The South Korean submarine is equipped with six vertical launch tubes that can eject SLBMs..."
Reading between the lines it appears Taiwan is behind the beatup (over the last week) that Chinese nuclear submarines are newly, or in the last 12 months, berthed at China's Yulin/Longpo Naval Base Complex. Yulin/Longpo, China's southernmost submarine base, is on China's Hainan Island (see Map below).
To give newly a bit of US credibility Taiwan seems to have ascribed the information to US site, GlobalSecurity. See two such reports at VOA here and "WW3 fears..." here.
This beatup appears specifically timed as a "crisis" for the incoming Biden Administration.
The problem is the widely respected, accurate strategic website, Federation of American Scientists (FAS) reports, on its Type 094 SSBN nuclear submarine page:
"In late 2007 or early 2008, the first TYPE 094 deployed to Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea."
Meanwhile the Jamestown Foundation's China Brief July 21, 2017 advised:
"Most recently, geospatial analysis conducted by AllSource Analysis has recently revealed four Jin-class (Type 094) ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) at Longpo [Yulin complex] Naval Base on Hainan Island...". (see image below)
Photo of a Type 094 SSBN (nuclear submarine) at Yulin/Longpo Naval Base complex, Hainan Island from the 2017 report. (Photo courtesy Google Earth with one image going as far back as 2013, via Jamestown Foundation) ---
The SkyGuardian (aka Sky Guardian) might turn out to be cheaper than relying on sonobuoys only dropped from manned P-8s. See this DefenseNews report of January 18, 2021.
Australia has selected the Sky Guardian UAV. Presumably the US military would also buy it, if its a successful sonobuoy dropper, fixed sensor and (maybe) weapons carrier.
Artwork of future Sky Guardian dropping a sonobuoy. It appears to be networked with a P-8 in the upper left corner. (Courtesy DefenseNews) ---
Following the January 11, 2021 article - on January 16, 2021 Anonymous kindly commented (with edits by Pete for improved English and clarity) that:
Sweden's SAAB (with a submarine entrant based on the A26) and Germany (with the TKMS Type 212CD E (see video below) are competing for the Netherlands Walrus replacement program. The cost of the submarines is, of course, one of the decisive factors in the tender. Cost (for each of 4 new submarines) is estimated very roughly on the design/material of pressure hull, AIP and combat system. The A26 entrant may be considerably less expensive (perhaps as low as a 1,000 million USD?) than the Type 212CD E.
As Germany's Siemens Fuel Cell AIP technology does not generate carbon dioxide it is not restricted in diving depth (in the sense water pressure would prevent carbon dioxide being emitted). [Pete comment: This is in contrast to Swedish Stirling AIP which does suffer the carbon dioxide emission restriction]. But, fuel cell AIP and its peripheral technologies (metal hydride for hydrogen source, hydrogen/oxygen storage and supply system, etc.) seem to be very expensive (more than 100 million USD in a future Type 212CD E?).
Strength of pressure hull steel relies on Yield Strength (given a number) and on the strength contribution of other support structures. This may be:
- magnetic steel (see Sweden's "Strenx700" at Table 1") maybe based on the existing design of the Gotland/Blekinge class for the A26 entrant
versus
- Germany's non-magnetic stainless steel (see 1.3964 or 1.3974 at Table 2.) maybe a new design? for the Type 212 CD E.
Pressure hull material, if 1.3964 or 1.3974, is much more expensive (30million USD in a 212CD or more) than Strenx700 (1). [Pete comment: However the non-magnetic nature of the German steel should make it harder to detect.]
AIP: Stirling generators vs fuel cell 30 million USD for Stirling generators versus around 100 million USD for fuel cell? (2)
(1) Price of Nitronic 50 (=1.3964) plate is 1,500INR/kilogram (20USD/kilogram) and assumed 1500ton of 1.3964 stainless steel is used for 212CD. Judging from composition of steel, 1.3964 stainless steel seems to be 10 times expensive than Strenx700.
(2) Four Stirling generators four x Kawasaki Kockums V4-275R for the Soryu class submarine cost 20 million USD, where costs of alloy for LOx tanks and other systems are excluded.
Video uploaded December 2, 2020. Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems’ (TKMS) proposal for the Netherlands Submarine Replacement Project: the Type 212CD E (Expeditionary). “The video shows the general...212 CD E design characteristics without sharing details due to security classification matters.” ---
Joe Biden's Inauguration from 3am Thursday 21 January Sydney, Australia time will be screened live on SBS TV. The actual swearing-in occurs at 12noon Washington time, Wednesday 20 January.
Trump has organised 2 distractions hours before the Inauguration:
1. A military parade at nearby Andrews Air Force Base to which a Trumpster crowd is invited. The crowd are due to assemble from 11.15pm (Sydney Time) Wednesday 20 January. Trump may well do more crowd incitement. Trump's timing allows several hours for this crowd to travel to central Washington, to do their worst during the Noon (US time) Inauguration. As Andrews Air Base is only 14km southeast of the Inauguration at the Capitol Building Trumpsters could start a riot distraction within the Andrews area itself.
During Trump’s 6 January Insurrection many Trumpters appeared to have military training in coordinated action. So riots drawing the attention of security forces (SecretService, FBI, National Guard and police) may be coordinated with more deadly shooting and bombing incidents.
2. Instead of attending the Inauguration (as is customary) Trump will fly from Andrews Air Base to one of his palaces, just north of Miami Florida. This will establish an alibibefore the likely riot in Washington. It is also possible Trump may incite a crowd in the Miami area.
Additional scenarios to Trumpster violence in/around Washington are Trumpster Riots of Opportunity in US State Capitals and other major US cities. These may happen while most US security attention is focused on Washington.
If any violence happens this will dominate Aussie morning news, on Thursday 21 January. The most sustained reporting for us, is likely to be "ABC America World News" 12.30pm Sydney time, on SBS TV. This will be immediately followed, at 1pm, by "PBS NewsHour" on SBS TV.
"Police, soldiers bring lethal skill to militia campaigns against US government"
"Thousands of police and soldiers – people professionally trained in the use of violence and familiar with military protocols – are part of an extremist effort to undermine the U.S. government and subvert the democratic process.
The hate group – founded by a former Army paratrooper after Barack Obama’s 2008 election – claimed “an improbable 30,000 members who were said to be mostly current and former military, law enforcement and emergency first responders” in 2016, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The militia movement is a militarized stream of the American far-right. Its members promote an ideology that undermines the authority and legitimacy of the federal government and stockpile weapons.
A member of the Oath Keepers at a rally to overturn the 2020 election results at the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 5, 2021.Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
In 1923, all the Black residents of Blandford, Indiana were forced out of town to an unknown location following accusations that an African American man assaulted a young girl. The unlawful “deportation” was conducted and organized by the local sheriff, a Klansman, with the assistance of local Klan chapters.
Wade Michael Page, the U.S. Army veteran who killed six Sikh worshipers in 2014.FBI via Getty Images
The Army identified and discharged 19 paratroopers for participating in hate activities. One went on to kill six worshipers in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin in August 2012. He died in a police shootout.
The militias’ success secretly infiltrating police departments contributed to the emergence of new far-right associations that openly recruit law enforcement, like the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers of America.
Founded in 2011 by former Arizona sheriff Richard Mack, the group promotes the notion – contrary to the Constitution – that the federal government authorities should be subordinated to local law enforcement. It has more than 500 sheriffs nationwide. Just over half are currently in office.
Authorities may be less likely to treat them as domestic security threats, a categorization that would limit their access to firearms and sensitive locations.
A data set I manage with my team at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and used for my recent book on right-wing terror shows that militia attacks are more lethal than those of other far-right groups. The perpetrators are experienced with weapons and ammunition, and have at least some military training.
Militias are also more likely to attack secured, high-value targets like government facilities. Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, is a prime example. He was a Gulf War veteran associated with the Michigan Militia whose bomb killed 168 people at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995.
The penetration of far-right militants into the ranks of police and the military seems to be driving an increase in direct attacks on police and military targets.
Between 1990 and 2000, 13% of U.S. of militia attacks and plots were aimed at military or police installations or personnel, our data set shows. The proportion jumped to 40% by 2017.
And with their training in surveillance, intelligence collection and public safety, the dangerous activities of militias are generally harder for federal agencies to monitor and counter.
When militias recruit professionals, they are better at waging their radical crusade."
"This story was updated to reflect developing news about security at Biden’s inauguration."
In response to Nicky and David Candy regarding End French Sub Deal and Sweden's latest float of a "Collins II" future submarine concept for Australia idea.
All the following concerns the French-Australian program to design, build and operate 12 future large "Attack-class" conventional, diesel-electric submarines for the Australian Navy.
The breach of contract penalties exacted by France on Australia might amount to A$500 million. Also the Australian Government most probably does not revisit Submarine Controversy after past Australian governments suffered embarrassment over the original Collins "I" Project and PR fiasco, in the 1990s - early 2000s.
Sweden's submarine makers have had a long term "buy Collins II" campaign in the Australian press that has been less than convincing. By 2014 when Australia's DoD were finalising their future submarine shortlist (down to France, Germany and Japan) Sweden's submarine industry was still in disarray.
In 1999 main Swedish submarine builder, Kockums, had actually been sold to Germany. Germany had made sure Kockums couldn't sell submarines - including to regular Kockums' customer Singapore. Sweden/Saab legally battled to buy Kockums back in 2014.
As at 2014 Sweden had not built a complete submarine for 18 years. Even today Saab-Kockums has not completed its only order - 2 submarines for the Swedish Navy. Back to 2014 Sweden was asking/hoping Australia would make the very large financial risk of buying 12 new submarines designed by Sweden. So Australia assigned preference to fully active submarine builders Germany, Japan and France in 2014.
Counter-intuitively France won because it offered the Highest Bid in what was really a 2016 Election winning Australian Federal Government multi-Billion dollar subsidy/promise to the key swing state of South Australia. Osborne, Adelaide, South Australia being the shipyard that will build the 12 future French designed subs.
At a rather secret level Australia most probably also opted for France as the extra $Billions to France are a down payment on possible long term future SSNs, SSBNs and even nuclear weapons from France.Germany, Japan and Sweden have no experience building nuclear subs or nuclear weapons and are less "nuclear-for-money" than France. France having designed a future SSN for Brazil (SN-BR). France having built a nuclear weapons Plutonium producing reactor and reprocessing plant for Israel in the 1950s-60s.
On a current level the Australian Government has regularly voiced its displeasure with missed milestones and cost over-runs in France's Naval Group building Australia's futuresubmarines. French Government owned Naval Group is distracted and late in France's Barracuda SSN and future SSBN projects. Those nuclear sub projects are higher priority for France than the conventional future sub for Australia program.
Also how much the Australian and French Governments have spent on their domestic COVID budgets comes into it. Australia wants to deter French Government owned Naval Group from seeing the Australia future submarine program as a revenue raising opportunity to cross subsidize France's higher than expected domestic COVID-19 costs.
Returning to Saab-Kockums. Sweden wants to sell 4 Collins II-like future subs to the Netherlands. Sweden again floating a "Collins II" to Australia may give the Netherlands hope that much design work and price reductions have been already achieved by Sweden in possible future subs for the Netherlands.
So international and domestic politics, not to mention cause and effect, regarding submarine projects, are more multi-leveled the more the projects drift into 10s of $Billions costs.
Following this January 11, 2021 article Anonymous kindly commented [with editing and photo/artwork added by Pete]:
Siemens has developed a new AIP PEM fuel cell module, known as “BZM evo”. The BZM evo combines the advantages of the BZM34 (34kW) module and the BZM120 (120kW) module. The BZM evo module further optimizes power density [1,2].
A TKMS Type 212Asubmarine is equipped with nine BZM34 modules (ie. 8 x 34kW = 272kW and 1 backup). If a future Type 212CD is equipped with 12 BZM evos (ie. 12 x 40kW = 480kW), then a 212CD may show improved underwater performance compared with the current 212A [in terms of fully submerged speed and/or longer time fully submerged].
In section 2 of Moersch’s presentation he writes “A single BZM evo provides a nominal power of 40 kW. Future plants consisting of several single units will supply a maximum power of 320 – 480 kW into the grid without exceeding the footprint of an existing BZM34 or BZM120 plant.”
In section 4 of Moersch’s presentation he concludes: “The BZM evo is a further optimized system from the SINAVY Fuel Cells family/series and already Siemens` 4th generation after utilizing the first 3 generations on the German submarine FGS U1, HDW class U212A, TKMS class 214, Dolphin AIP and others.
Finding its place both on conventional submarines and on future applications like UUVs or AIEPs [air independent emergency propulsion] what is an "AIEP"?] will be Siemens’ utmost concern for the naval market.
The BZM evo is designed to fulfil the requirements of new systems and retrofits of older AIP plants and should be available on the market from 2023, or a year earlier for UUV integration.”
Fig. 1. The well proven fuel cell module BZM34. ---
Fig. 3. Siemens’ land based demonstrator inside a UUVapplication. ---
(and finally) Fig. 4. Live demonstration running certain mission profiles. ---
[2]Type 212As are equipped with 9 x BZM34s without a pressure vessel and 2 x BZM120s with pressure vessel, respectively. Therefore Wiki article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_212_submarine where it states “2 HDW/Siemens PEM fuel cells each with 120 kW [on] U32, U33, U34” is wrong. That is in the “General characteristics” section and in the right sidebar.] _______________
Pete Comment
On balance it appears Type 214s use 2 x BZM120 modules (previously called FCM 120 modules).
See "SINAVY PEM Fuel Cells For Submarines" page 5. which states: "Submarines of Class 214 – operated by the Hellenic [Greek] Navy, Republic of [South] Korea Navy, Portuguese Navy, and in future by the Turkish Navy – are equipped with FCM 120 modules, which were developed in a later phase." and at page 9. "b: fuel-cell battery with FCM 120; coupling via converter at class 214submarine".
A friend from Texas has drawn my attention to the underwater assault rifle below. Every gun owner (with a swimming pool) should have one. No telling when an intruder will take a dip.
The video here and below struts the Soviet/Russian developed and still (perhaps restricted export) APS Underwater Rifle. This baby, with its 26 round magazine, fires bolts which work better underwater than conventional nose bullets. Range (5m deep) is advertised as 30m - and in the air, 100m. It also works much better than spear-guns.
Other countries make generally shorter barrelled, submachine gun or pistol sized underwater weaponslike the Heckler & Koch P11 pistol. Shorter barrelled weapons do have an 2 advantages - being lighter and quicker/easier to swing around. The latter is a major issue given water resistance when more slowly swinging around a longer weapon, with a large magazine.
