Submarine Matters follows a philosophy of not favouring any one of the 3 contenders in the CEP. There are weaknesses and strengths in all 3 bids.
Note that the new submarines will only begin to be built in about 12 years time for entry into service not in the late 2020s but the early 2030s. See revised timings (in red) in the Soryu Table below.
Only beginning the build in 2027 may cause much uncertainty for the winning contender. The delay may effect TKMS and DCNS less as there is a full order book for TKMS (in Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Singapore and South Korea) and almost full for DCNS (India and Brazil).
For Japan it is a long wait - although benefitting Australia is the opportunity for Lithium-ion Batteries, new diesels and the new snorkel system to be operationally tested in Japanese Soryu Mark 2s over a longer period.
It is important to get more acquainted with the 3 contenders. This will be done in four articles (one per week). There will be an article each for DCNS and TKMS and 2 (KHI and MHI) in the Japanese bid. There are actually three partners in the Japanese bid which may make things potentially complicated. Within the Japanese bid are:
- the Japanese Ministry of Defence (JMoD or just MOD) important in what has been described as a government-to-government bid
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) described as the leader of the bid, and
- Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) (and within KHI its subsidiary Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation (KSC)). KHI is much more than a sub-contractor or supplier as it assembles Soryus itself every second year.
KAWASAKI HEAVY INDUSTRIES (KHI)
KHI is the parent company of a group of more 100 affiliates and subsidiaries in Japan and overseas. KHI builds aircraft, helicopters, rockets, satellites, vehicles, factories, huge fixed generators, replacement engines of all types and other equipment.
Subsidiary KSC builds commercial vessels, including oil tankers, bulk, LNG and LPG carriers, container ships, jetfoils. KSC also builds warships for the Japanese Navy including submarines along with essential submarine components like snorkels, propellers and diesels.
KHI has 35, 471 employees (2015) and net sales of 1.49 Trillion Yen in (Fiscal year ended March 31, 2015). That is equivalent to A$189 Billion (by my reckoning!)
SORYU TABLE (with earlier Oyashios, as at March 2, 2016)
(note KHI bolded appears every second year in Built By)
(note KHI bolded appears every second year in Built By)
SS No. | Building No. | Pennant No. | MoF approved amount ¥ Billions & FY | LABs, LIBs, AIP | Laid Down | Laun -ched | Commi-ssioned | Built By |
5SS | 8105 | SS-590/ TS3608 | ¥52.2B FY1993 | LABs only | Jan 1994 | Oct 1996 | Mar 1998 | KHI |
6SS-15SS Oyashios 10 subs | 8106 -8115 | SS-591-600 | ¥52.2B per sub FY1994-FY2003 | LABs only | Feb 1994 | Mar 2008 | MHI & KHI | |
16SS Soryu Mark 1 | 8116 | SS-501 | ¥60B FY2004 | LABs + AIP | Mar 2005 | Dec 2007 | Mar 2009 | MHI |
17SS | 8117 | SS-502 | ¥58.7B FY2005 | LABs + AIP | Mar 2006 | Oct 2008 | Mar 2010 | KHI |
18SS | 8118 | SS-503 | ¥56.2 FY2006 | LABs + AIP | Feb 2007 | Oct 2009 | Mar 2011 | MHI |
19SS | 8119 | SS-504 | ¥53B FY2007 | LABs + AIP | Mar 2008 | Nov 2010 | Mar 2012 | KHI |
20SS | 8120 | SS-505 | ¥51B FY2008 | LABs + AIP | Mar 2009 | Oct 2011 | Mar 2013 | MHI |
No 21SS | No 21SS built | |||||||
22SS | 8121 | SS-506 | ¥52.8B FY2010 | LABs + AIP | Jan 2011 | Oct 2013 | Mar 2015 | KHI |
23SS | 8122 | SS-507 | ¥54.6B FY2011 | LABs + AIP | Feb 2012 | Oct 2014 | Mar 2016 | MHI |
24SS | 8123 | SS-508 | ¥54.7B FY2012 | LABs + AIP | Mar 2013 | Nov 2015 | Mar 2017 | KHI |
25SS | 8124 | SS-509 | ¥53.1B FY2013 | LABs + AIP | Oct 2013 | Nov 2016 | Mar 2018 | MHI |
26SS | 8125 | SS-510 | ¥51.7B FY2014 | LABs + AIP | ? | ? | Mar 2019 | KHI |
27SS Soryu Mark 2 | 8126 | SS-511 | ¥64.3B FY2015 | LIBs only | ? | ? | Mar 2020 | MHI |
28SS | 8127 | SS-512 | ¥63.6B FY2016 | LIBs only | ? | ? | Mar 2021 | KHI |
29SS | ? | ? | 1st of New Japanese Class | LIBs only | ? | ? | 2023? | MHI? |
Aus1 | ? | ? | 1st of new Aus class (if Japan chosen) | LIBs only | 2027? | 2029? | 2032? | in Aus or Jpn? |
Aus2 to 12? | ? | ? | between 5 and 11 additional Aus subs | LIBs only | from 2029? | from 2031? | from 2033? | in Aus or Jpn? |
Table courtesy of updates provided to Submarine Matters. LABs = lead-acid batteries,
AIP = air independent propulsion, LIBs = lithium-ion batteries.
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A selection of important components KHI builds for submarines includes:
New Diesels - KHI developed four-stroke diesel engines for surface ships with some assistance from MAN Diesel & Turbo. However, the Soryu submarine's 2 x Kawasaki 12V/25/25 SB diesels are sufficiently modified to be considered original Kawasaki products. This uniqueness is a security advantage over European companies (MTU-Germany and MAN-France) that might be tempted to share submarine diesel technology with China (a much bigger and attractive customer than Australia). The KHI 12V/25/25 SB will need to be heavily modified into a new engine to be compatible with the faster running demands of Lithium-ion Batteries on Soryu Mark 2s, from 27SS onwards.
New Snorkel System - this is an integrated system of snorkel and diesel generation capable of operating very quickly and in storms (in the Southern Ocean and tropics). This means that during storms a submarine will not have to "go deep" below the weather (while its batteries run down) or surface indiscretely. It can remain at more discrete snorting depth.
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Propellers - KHI also makes propellers. One type is the Kawasaki Controllable Pitch Propeller– Benefits include "low vibration, low noise, high efficiency and excellent cavitation performance. It also makes it easy to control speed and quickly bring a vessel to a standstill without reversing the engine while delivering enhanced manoeuvrability as well as safety.”
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KHI is committed to building submarine components and assembling every second Soryu even though KHI makes no profit in submarines. KHI sees submarines as an important part of doing business with the Japanese Government. KHI realises this is part of the framework within which it can sell more profitable defence products to the Japanese government including surface ships, aircraft, helicopters, rockets, satellites, replacement engines of all types and other equipment.
The Japanese Government will also appreciate KHI's efforts in helping to make Japan's first major defence sale (to Australia) possible. That is - if Japan is chosen.
Pete
The Japanese Government will also appreciate KHI's efforts in helping to make Japan's first major defence sale (to Australia) possible. That is - if Japan is chosen.
Pete