S1000 SSK back in the reckoning for Indian Navy?




A combination of factors is understood to be leading to the Indian Navy positively leaning back towards seriously considering the Russo-Italian S1000 submarine for its (Project-75A) second line of diesel-electric attack submarines to be built under technology transfer within the country. The S1000, a joint design and development initiative between Russia's Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering "Rubin" and Italy's Fincantieri, is apparently being considered with as much seriousness now as the larger Amur 1650, currently assumed to be the frontrunner for the highly lucrative deal (a good chunk of the Navy favours the Amur). A presentation on the S1000 was made to the Indian Navy in late 2006 and then in early 2008, though the Indian Navy had observed at the time, that the S1000 may be too small for its needs (the fact that anti-surface warfare was a stated secondary profile did not go down well either at the time). The photograph (Figure 4) of the U212's combat centre was used in the presentation made to the Navy on the S1000.

Note, however, that Rosoboronexport is pushing only the Amur 1650, it's only the Italian Ministry of Defence that is pushing the S1000, even though Rosobornexport is a partner.

Unlike the DCNS Scorpene line (Project 75), the second line of submarines will look to purchase submarines with air independent propulsion (AIP) systems as standard. And unlike Rubin's proposed AIP system on the Amur, the Indian Navy is understood to be very keen on the S1000's AIP system, particularly because its based on the Siemens SiNavyCIS BZM-120 PEM hydrogen fuel cell (Figure 3).

The S1000 also features specialised non-magnetic hull fabrication, a feature that the Navy wants in its next line. The HDW U-214 is almost definitely out of the reckoning -- Pakistan is in line to order three from Germany. Also, the Indian Navy is simply not convinced that the Type 214 takes any meaningful advanced technologies from the Type 212/212A of which it is an export derivative.

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