Above and here the Scorpene is featured, courtesy this 2 year old Naval Group video. It begins with 14 Scorpenes sold, but recently India is building 3 more, for a total of 17.
On August 4, 2023 Anonymous from France (with
some editing by Pete)
Here is a "French" perspective on the Scorpene successes (17 exported, none built for the French Navy. France’s attack submarines are all SSNs. Probably more Scorpene sales to be confirmed.) The Scorpenes are still without AIP? How come?
A
look at the overall picture and a few points (hope not to be too
"cocky").
AIP
is very important in some tactical/geographical situations, but is clearly not the
"panacea" although with high strategic impact.
(However, Japan? Australia in 2016? Brazil?). Naval Group’s effort is clearly
in the direction of Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for submarine. (Battery maker Saft is/will be a major
supplier,
LFP and
see)
for at least since 2008. LIBs will likely be introduced in the next Scorpene exports (to Romania, Indonesia, Philippines, Morocco and to India) because
this is the obvious road map to the Scorpene story. Adoption of LIBs implies a
complete change of the electrical and diesel subsystems, not a minor change.
Israel
and South Korea need submerged SLBM platforms that can be protected in nearby bastion waters. Specifically the Dolphin and KSS-III SSBs are protected by friendly aircraft, warships and missile defences. They may
rely more on AIP than LIBs.
The
Scorpene is an "oceanic" type of submarine, travelling fast and deep,
equipped with up to date, if not the best, sub systems
- (Thales sensors, Safran
optronic masts, permanent magnet motor and drives from Jeumont, inertial
navigation system (laser gyro or fiber) and combat systems...that are also
on Saab Blekinges (by and large), South Korean DSME or even the TKMS
(navigation in the Type 212CD) proposals, if one looks at the details.
- France’s Thales not only supplies the UK Royal Navy (Thales UK and France have been partners for 40+ years..and the technological building-blocks, components, software modules, test equipment and experience at sea etc, are unlikely to be different ). Also the USN with its latest submarine digital sonars
- the
weapon range of the Scorpene is state of the art, F21 torpedoes, Exocet SM39
anti-ship missiles, MdCN cruise missiles..ITAR free are on par with the best
world systems.
-
Naval technology transfer to India or Brazil alleviates the limited capacity
and the high labor cost in France. To achieve for instance 100% indigenous
“Make in India”, it is sufficient at the beginning to have modules made in
India (or Brazil), incorporated in a third party sale..
- Contrary to TKMS or Saab, Naval Group yards are booked for the next 10/15 years with France’s top priority Barracuda SSN and Third Generation SSBN nuclear orders. Naval Group needs its foreign partners in fact for Scorpene and conventional Shortfin construction.