Spain's S-80 Plus Submarine Emerges as Top Choice to Replace Indian Kilo-Class

A potential replacement for the Indian Navy's aging fleet of Kilo-class submarines has emerged. An unnamed Navy official revealed that the Spanish-designed S-80 Plus class submarine is a strong contender to fulfill this need.

The Kilo-class submarines, initially acquired by India in the 1980s, have been a backbone of the country's maritime defense capabilities for many years. While extensive maintenance has kept them operational, their time is drawing to a close, and the Navy is actively seeking replacements. The Project-75I tender aims to induct six new stealth submarines as a long-term replacement.

The S-80 Plus offers several compelling advantages for the Indian Navy. Its larger submerged displacement compared to competitors like the German U-214 allows it to carry more fuel and undertake extended missions – vital for patrolling India's expansive maritime borders. The Kilo-class submarines also possess a similar submerged displacement.

Sources indicate the S-80 Plus may also be more cost-effective than comparable submarines. While exact pricing is confidential, industry speculation suggests it could be a more budget-friendly choice than the U-214.

India has an established relationship with German submarine manufacturer TKMS, having acquired T-209 submarines in the past. However, the S-80 Plus represents a new generation of submarines while potentially providing superior capabilities. Interestingly, TKMS lost out on Project-75 to a French-Spanish consortium because their Scorpène-class submarines were much less expensive than German offerings.

Additionally, India's current operation of Scorpène-class submarines (a Franco-Spanish design) gives the S-80 Plus an extra edge. Existing familiarity with Navantia, one of the shipyards responsible for the S-80 Plus, may streamline potential procurement and logistical processes.

Disclaimer: It is important to note that this report is based on statements from an unnamed source and details of submarine procurements are often shrouded in secrecy.

 

[Pad UwU]

Well it's good enough and serves its main purpose let's go for it as long it's bang for the bucks😺.... Doesn't matter if it's not the best, if our allocated budgets only be on that range kakakakak 😹😹😹😹 if we want more of the best tech then we should add more funding and budget for procurement of subs with best AIP because we already know GoI and many state on company are obsess with technology transfer but always cheaping out the budget LMAO 🙃🤭😹

 

[Puneet]

IN / MOD / GOI, whatever you do, do it fast. In Defense matters speed is the key, be it deployment, attack, manufacturing or procurement. Faster the better, should be the motto. Be atleast one step ahead, always.

 

[Manoj Kumar G]

I still prefer KS3 over Type-212/214 & S80 Plus.

 

[Anant]

I still prefer KS3 over Type-212/214 & S80 Plus.

They are arguably a better design, but they aren't on offer, unless we potentially go for a G2G order and scrap P-75I beforehand, which isn't going to happen.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

I still prefer KS3 over Type-212/214 & S80 Plus.

Probably not, type 212 is a extremely stealthy design ,better than 214,218,s80,kss3 and they wont offer it to us. They have only made it for themselves and norweign navy.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

Germany is an extremely unreliable arms partner as shown in its dealings with India over and over again be it in the case of small arms supply.
German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch in on record in Nov 2016 saying that will no longer sell weapons to countries which are corrupt, undemocratic, or not affiliated in some way to Nato clubbing India with Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Brazil, and even Nato member Turkey.
The German government withheld BAFA (Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control) clearance for engine exports to India, impacting the indigenous Zorawar light tank prototype. Consequently, India was compelled to turn to American company Cummins for tank engines in October 2023. At that time, Germany had not provided specific clarification on the reasons behind the decision to withhold the supply of tank engines to India.
It is no secret that Germany held up approvals for Eurofighter supply to Saudi Arabia for years before finally relenting after severe criticism from the Eurofighter consortium for loss of business and jobs in Europe due to the decision.
India cannot rely on whims and fancies of a country like Germany for critical items like Submarines. So it makes no sense at all for India to go in for Germany’s TKMS offer when equally good alternatives are available at a much cheaper price.

True,but you realise the diesel electric engines in s80 are of german origin?

 

[desigandu]

Just to provide some context, the KSS-III offering by South Korea was for the submarine without the VLS module. As their offering stood, the VLS module would not be present. That said, they had said a few years back that if the KSS-III were selected, they would be open for discussions to include the VLS module as well on Indian submarines.

The South Korean subs with VLS and/or the Japanese subs (Taiga type) with Lithium Ion Batteries, may have been more technologically advanced than TKMS and Navantia...Another factor with the Koreans is things can move fast, including production as they have shown with Poland and other countries with their industrial base...As an option - India should expand the 3 new kalvari to 9 more with AIP + Batteries made by Mazagon (while also upgrading the current 6), whilst ditching P-75Is, and accelerating P-76s (with VLS, Silent Drives, AIP+Batteries) in about a 4000Ton class (for longer endurance) and build 12-18 of those starting 2030 (2 per year in 2 shipyards, L&T being one of them)...Also our SSNs will only start making a difference in the 2032+ timeframe and maybe we will have 6 of them by 2040, so accelerating SSKs is the faster option for sea denial in IOR...Our biggest issue is timelines - ability to contract and then the speed of building them, which is getting better but nothing as compared to China, Japan or S Korea (all of whom are major shipbuilders especially in civilian shipping)...A solution is to have long term non-lapsable Defense fund ($100-250B over 10 years) for critical projects (over and above the annual Defense Budget) and ensuring Indian shipyards become world class with a focus on civilian shipbuilding at scale, which could translate into naval shipbuilding...The Navy's vision of atmanirbharta by 2047 is commendable but only a 200 ship navy by then may be underpowered...Given China will be 500+ ships by 2030 (with potentially 4-6 carriers + 100 destroyer/frigates + 20 LPDs/others + about 50 SSKs + 12 SSNs) - we need 200+ ships by 2035 and potentially 300+ by 2050...Of course numbers matter but also capability, along with use of autonomous/stealthy platforms...IN is small (as compared to US and China) and needs to double by 2035...a $10T economy with a 2.5% GDP Military spend by 2035, will really help.

 

[Jay Yoo]

Having observed several sub procurements of several countries, I feel the important parts of modern submarine are armaments and communication. Drone torpedo and piloting, missile launch, radio to/from sonar module, detection of enemy target, etc.

 

[Deepak Hegde]

True,but you realise the diesel electric engines in s80 are of german origin?

Well, you raise an interesting point. Need to check on this. I was not aware.

 

[Sunnyj]

Monkey model for export customers.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

Well, you raise an interesting point. Need to check on this. I was not aware.

Only 2 companies make good diesel engines. Worldwide most submakers use german mtu engine because its best in category,then comes semt pielstick of france. Japanese kawasaki also makes engine ,but i dont know if its indigenous or some licensed version! Korean, german,,spanish all use german mtu engine.