Spain Raises Stakes in India's Submarine Bid: Exclusive Invite to Witness Next-Gen AIP Trials on S-80 Plus Submarine

Spain is making a bold move to secure the lucrative Project-75I contract, a multi-billion dollar deal to supply the Indian Navy with six advanced submarines.

The centerpiece of their offer is an invitation for Indian Navy officials to witness firsthand the capabilities of their cutting-edge Bioethanol Stealth Technology (BEST) Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system.

Trials will be conducted on the newly commissioned S-80 Plus-class submarine, a vessel that promises to boost India's underwater warfare capabilities.

Understanding AIP: The Submarine Game-Changer​

Air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems allow conventional diesel-electric submarines to remain submerged for extended periods without the need to surface and recharge batteries.

This drastically enhances a submarine's stealth factor and its overall operational range. The integration of advanced AIP technology is a key requirement for India's ambitious Project-75I.

Spain's AIP Advantage: BEST Technology​

Spain's state-owned Navantia shipyard is touting its proprietary BEST AIP system as a clear winner over competing designs. This "third-generation" AIP technology leverages a bioethanol fuel-cell system to significantly prolong underwater endurance.

Navantia asserts that BEST offers distinct advantages over the German-made fuel-cell AIP system used in the Type-214 submarine offered by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).

Key Strengths of BEST​

• Extended Endurance: Equipped with BEST, submarines can remain submerged for upwards of three weeks, a performance that rivals pure battery-electric propulsion systems, but with a much smaller acoustic signature for reduced detectability.
• Maximum Stealth: The BEST AIP system minimizes noise and emissions, making submarines even more elusive.
• Combat Proven: Unlike some competing technologies, the BEST AIP system has successfully completed land-based testing and has been integrated into the newly commissioned Isaac Peral, the first of Spain's S-80 Plus-class submarines.

Project 75I: High Stakes Competition​

The Indian Navy's Project-75I is a major procurement program aimed at bolstering the country's submarine fleet with six next-generation vessels to be built domestically.

This offers a significant opportunity to further advance India's indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.

Navantia's S-80 Plus and TKMS' Type 214 are among the frontrunners, alongside other potential contenders.

The Takeaway​

Spain's invitation to the Indian Navy underscores the intense competition surrounding the Project-75I contract.

The demonstrated capabilities of the BEST AIP system could be influential in swaying the decision.

Beyond pure technical advantages, factors such as technology transfer agreements, the degree of domestic production, and overall cost will all play a significant role in India's ultimate selection.

 

[Pink Panther]

Navanti’a AIP based on bio ethanol is equally good compared to German, but German submarine is technologically superior and they also have experience installing VLS plug where as Navantia has never done it though it is not a big deal, all will boil down to cost and the amount of TOT shared.

 

[Frank]

Tiny tiny tiny spain can build it why cant we???

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Why are we so inclined for a foreign AIP?. Is our AIP not promising?

 

[Sunny]

If the Germans are offering Type-214 then its better to go for Spanish S-80+ submarines. The Type-214 is a decades old design and Type-218, Type-212CD or a variant of Dakar class being built for Israel is a better choice. Though the S-80 is a new and unproven design it should have better adaptability to customization.

 

[Siddharth Asthana]

Why are we so inclined for a foreign AIP?. Is our AIP not promising?

ours will go in all Scorpene refits...a total of 9...through P75I we are looking for alternatives in terms of fuel cycle to improve ours and potentially learn a new tech provided that tech is not inferior to what we already know

 

[The Presence]

Why are we so inclined for a foreign AIP?. Is our AIP not promising?

It's not plug & play. Especially in a Submarine.
If you're adding a whole new AIP in a foreign vessel, it will take years of testing to re-certify. We simply don't have the time for all this stuff.

 

[Aravind Raveendran]

Tiny tiny tiny spain can build it why cant we???

Maybe the effort in application of grey cells ?

 

[Aravind Raveendran]

Only we had imbibed and utilised the TOT given to us decades ago ( If it's true ) we would and should have become an expert in manufacturing subs by now.

 

[Anant]

Only we had imbibed and utilised the TOT given to us decades ago ( If it's true ) we would and should have become an expert in manufacturing subs by now.

Blame the government for cancelling the last two Type 209s for that. Had those two boats been built as per plan, they would have been mostly built in India, and we would have solidified a lot of what was learnt in the construction of the third and fourth Type 209s, which were essentially assembled in India.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Only we had imbibed and utilised the TOT given to us decades ago ( If it's true ) we would and should have become an expert in manufacturing subs by now.

I dont know. Submarines require huge amount of R&D. Much more so than regular warships. There are very few countries who can build capable subs. And this expertise is built through decades of experience and R&D.

Navy had a plan since many years ago. To gain expertise from P75 and P75I and the arihant project with the russians. And then build our own subs in project 76.

 

[Sandeep]

Tiny tiny tiny spain can build it why cant we???

Spain didn't design and develop their submarine by itself. France designed and developed a lot of the submarine as Spain didn't have enough knowledge, expertise or experience at all.

 

[beencensured]

Navanti’a AIP based on bio ethanol is equally good compared to German, but German submarine is technologically superior and they also have experience installing VLS plug where as Navantia has never done it though it is not a big deal, all will boil down to cost and the amount of TOT shared.

You make it sound adding a tube is very difficult task.

 

[Sandeep]

Although Spain and Germany have both passed and meet the requirements and technology we are looking for but it seems that Germany has a much higher chance of winning this contract. The technology, stealth material, fighting capabilities, weapons package, sonar etc is more advanced than the Spanish submarine and India needs that advanced technology if it wants to maintain control of the Indian Ocean.

India needs to ensure that we can manufacture these submarines as soon as possible and not take the usual 10-15 years to finally complete all 6 submarines. We should also make sure that we receive a high amount of critical technology like the engines and sonar but also a high amount of local production including those critical technology to reduce the price as much as possible. We should also make sure that they allow us to install any indigenous torpedo or cruise missile that we are currently developing both with success.

Despite the German submarine being good there is a major weakness as it doesn't have any VLS that we can use to launch any of our indigenous cruise missiles which would of had a longer range and hold larger missiles. Instead we have to launch it from the torpedo tube which limits the range and size of the missile. The only submarine that had this capability was South Korea and it was the ideal submarine which met all of our technology requirements and capabilities but unfortunately the navy weren't that interested and preferred the German submarine so eventually South Korea got fed up of the long delays and withdrew from the competition.

 

[Anant]

You make it sound adding a tube is very difficult task.

It is a difficult task. Adding a VLS plug into an existing submarine is not a case of cutting the submarine in two, adding the hull section, and welding everything back together. You need systems integration, power diversion, etc. All that is inside the submarine. On the exterior, you need to do the hull-form and hydrodynamic calculations from scratch, and modify the design accordingly (such as modifications to the diving planes, rudder, propellers, etc.)

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

If the Germans are offering Type-214 then its better to go for Spanish S-80+ submarines. The Type-214 is a decades old design and Type-218, Type-212CD or a variant of Dakar class being built for Israel is a better choice. Though the S-80 is a new and unproven design it should have better adaptability to customization.

Both type 218 sg and dakar class are modified type 214.type 212 is superior to type 214 or its subclasses, germany wont give it to you outside of eu. So, if they offer type212 i would be very surprised.

 

[beencensured]

It is a difficult task. Adding a VLS plug into an existing submarine is not a case of cutting the submarine in two, adding the hull section, and welding everything back together. You need systems integration, power diversion, etc. All that is inside the submarine. On the exterior, you need to do the hull-form and hydrodynamic calculations from scratch, and modify the design accordingly (such as modifications to the diving planes, rudder, propellers, etc.)

When a country like our is experienced in putting such tubes in submarines then it is an easy task. Yes, the submarines must have adequate space, but the designer can make such space for such systems to meet the users requirements.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

Only we had imbibed and utilised the TOT given to us decades ago ( If it's true ) we would and should have become an expert in manufacturing subs by now.

Exactly, korea started at the same time with type 209 ,now they build their own subs.

 

[Anant]

When a country like our is experienced in putting such tubes in submarines then it is an easy task. Yes, the submarines must have adequate space, but the designer can make such space for such systems to meet the users requirements.

"A country like ours is experienced in putting such tubes in submarines": Pray tell exactly which submarines we inserted a VLS plug in. Has there been some secretive submarine modifications you are privy to that haven't been released to folks of the general public such as me?

As for the rest of your point, this isn't just a question of space. There are a lot of considerations that you must take: Systems and sensor integration, additional power requirements, hydrodynamic, etc.

 

[Anil Jai Singh]

That's a pretty tall claim considering that the first AIP is going to be fitted only on the third S80 submarine which is expected to enter service in 2025-26. P75(I) requires a sea proven AIP system - only Germany's tkMS has it. I visited Navantia in 2012 and was told of the superiority of the BEST system. 12 years later, it still hasn't gone to sea.

 

[Pink Panther]

You make it sound adding a tube is very difficult task.

it is, it affect's the aerodynamics of the Submarine, they have to make design changes to the hull to compensate for that.

 

[Rajesh]

It doesn't matter if the sub is German or Spanish one if they fulfills all the tech transfer and quality requirements set by navy/india. What matters is that if mdl wins the contract then we should start deciding which sub to be next bought for tech transfer after p75i. Both MDL & HAl are Siamese twins .

 

[desigandu]

Despite the German submarine being good there is a major weakness as it doesn't have any VLS that we can use to launch any of our indigenous cruise missiles which would of had a longer range and hold larger missiles. Instead we have to launch it from the torpedo tube which limits the range and size of the missile. The only submarine that had this capability was South Korea and it was the ideal submarine which met all of our technology requirements and capabilities but unfortunately the navy weren't that interested and preferred the German submarine so eventually South Korea got fed up of the long delays and withdrew from the competition.

VLS and Lithium Ion Batteries (+AIP) is being planned for P-76s, which are being designed by WDB and may start building in 2030 (12 boats in 2 phases)...It is an evolution and we need constant development in phases...For SSKs we need both type of capabilities capabilities - 2000Ton boats (small, but very quiet with AIP) for coastal waters, and larger 4000Ton boats (with VLS, AIP+Lithium Ion Batteries) for longer IOR patrols...Beyond that are plans for Project Alpha - 6000Ton boats (VLS + Propulsers) with 190MW nuclear reactors, being built but operationalized in the 2032-2035 timeframe...I agree we need faster development but for that we need to really transform our procurement, approvals, R&D, TOT approach.

 

[desigandu]

If the Germans are offering Type-214 then its better to go for Spanish S-80+ submarines. The Type-214 is a decades old design and Type-218, Type-212CD or a variant of Dakar class being built for Israel is a better choice. Though the S-80 is a new and unproven design it should have better adaptability to customization.

It is in fact Type 212CDE boats on offer...

 

[BCharlie]

Exactly, korea started at the same time with type 209 ,now they build their own subs.

Sir, their ITO (inquiry to Order) process & their OTR (Order to Remittance) process is very streamlined & in a timely manner with set time deadlines ... not like ours where the longer it takes, the more the free foreign trips with families on foreign companies expense are the targets.