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.”
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