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2020-02-02

Saab and Damen Collaborate on Submarines

The Dutch cabinet recently announced that Saab and the Dutch shipbuilder Damen, together with two other contenders, would continue in the next phase for the replacement of the Walrus-class submarines (WRES), aiming at the procurement of four submarines. Saab and Damen Shipyards Group have joined forces to develop an expeditionary submarine for The Netherlands.

Saab and Damen are awaiting further information from The Netherlands on how the process will proceed. The team has a strong offer, which fits the operational requirements of the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Dutch Defense Industrial Strategy (DIS). If selected, the offer would encompass export opportunities.

The Expeditionary Submarine builds on the capabilities of the Swedish A26 and the knowledge and skills within the Dutch naval shipbuilding. Furthermore, it puts into practice the experience of the Swedish designed Collins-class submarine in-service with the Australian Navy.

Force Multiplier

Submarines are unique tools for securing national interests. In a world where any movement or asset is exposed, being able to act undetected has never been more crucial. The Saab Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarines can remain submerged for longer periods of time, allowing a large range of missions in both peace and wartime.

To meet diverse, international requirements across a spectrum of missions, Saab offers conventional submarines that address three market segments: Pelagic, Oceanic and Oceanic Extended Range (ER). By combining a unique range of capabilities, state-of-the-art stealth technology, AIP, high endurance, versatile combat system suite and various weapons, Saab has created a shock-resistant, modular submarine designed for maximum operational flexibility. The company’s submarines are designed for operational interoperability with other organisations and stakeholders, both military and civilian.

Extreme stealth is at the heart of Saab submarines. They are designed to counter all known physical threats, surveillance methods and cyber warfare techniques. Saab’s new A26 submarines use advanced technology to make them effectively invisible – by balancing the complete range of signatures. This makes them impossible to detect, classify and localise.

To further reduce sound, the space between the frames is filled with acoustic damping materials. This approach is used in unique combination with other features and methods such as sound-isolated AIP Stirling and diesel engine modules; flexible hoses and compensators; specifying maximum flow speed in air ducts and pipes; minimum bending radius on pipes; and the special design of the hull, fin and casing.

The Saab Gotland-class submarine was the first submarine class to have AIP installed during the building process. In a Stirling engine, the necessary heat is produced in a separate combustion chamber and transferred to the engine's working gas, operating in a completely closed system. Since the 1980s, Stirling AIP has been proven to be a mature and robust technology. AIP mode enables the submarine to operate for an extended time, without breaking the surface for snorting and charging the batteries by the diesel engines. The AIP system has been delivered to several export customers and has attained over 30 years of operational service, as well as several tens of thousands of running hours on board submarines. Today, all Swedish submarines are equipped with Stirling AIP.

Compact, modular and manageable, Stirling AIP systems can be dimensioned for fully submerged missions up to 45 days. Thanks to the durability and low cost of operation, the technology is used continuously at patrol speed. Stirling AIP has an extremely low signature. The diesel engines are only used for long-distance transit at medium speed in either surfaced or snorting condition.

The AIP system burns a mixture of gasified pure industrial liquid oxygen (LOX) and diesel fuel. The same fuel is used for both the diesel and Stirling engines, which enable cost-effective energy production and logistics.

Saab’s submarines, such as the A26, ensure maximum reliability. In order to minimise downtime, any preventive, corrective or mission-critical maintenance can be performed by ordinary crewmembers using on-board spare parts and test equipment. Moreover, where possible, Saab uses Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) equipment to reduce costs and simplify the work.

The company has continuously developed series of submarines, based on the core Oceanic segment. Its modular design and production method allows the submarine to accommodate a larger and more versatile suite of weapons, various crew sizes, and highly efficient AIP systems. The Oceanic segment encompasses submarines of similar size and capacity to the A26 submarine, ordered for the Royal Swedish Navy.

Reference Text/Photo: www.saabgroup.com

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