Type 218SG submarines are tested before delivery to the customer
Acceptance tests of three Type 218SG submarines built by the German concern ThyssenKrupp for the Naval Forces of the Republic of Singapore are being completed. According to the current plan, all three will be accepted by the customer by the end of this year, and next summer will join the Singapore fleet.
Type 218 represents the first project of the German next-generation non-nuclear submarine (NAPL). It replaces the Type 212A submarines operated by the German and Italian Navies, and the export Type 214. They are described in detail in the article " Germany prefers non-atomic secrecy " (see "HBO" of 13.07.23).
In addition to the export Type 218, the new generation also includes the Type 212CD. This project is intended for Germany and its closest allies in the military-political bloc of NATO.
Note that the model for deliveries abroad was born earlier than the option for their own needs. It may seem strange to some, but this fact does not go beyond the historical practice of German shipbuilders.
SINGAPORE ORDER
Type 218 represents the development of Type 214 with an increase in length by 5 m, up to 70, surface displacement – by 170 tons, up to 1860, and underwater displacement – by 200, up to 2200 tons. The number of the crew has increased by three people, increased to 30. The number of torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber increased (compared to Type 212A) by two units, to eight. The maximum speed is called 15 knots, which is five knots less than the previous one. An important innovation is the Horizontal Multi–Purpose Airlock (HMPL). This is a multifunctional device that allows you to launch missiles, torpedoes, divers and combat swimmers.
The Type 218 submarine is equipped with an air-independent power plant (VNEU) powered by Sienems fuel cells. The underwater autonomy is 28-42 days, depending on the task being performed. It is claimed that in practice it will be twice as high as that of Singapore submarines of the Swedish-built Archer type.
The start of construction of the next generation submarines was preceded by a thorough revision of the existing shipbuilding facilities. As a result, it was decided to build a completely new shipyard.
According to the press service of the ThyssenKrupp concern from 2019, this industrial giant has invested a quarter of a billion euros in the construction of a new facility in Kiel. The Competence Center for Underwater Technology will be located next to it. Its infrastructure includes a new assembly shop and a site for the production of VNEU.
The first ship built at the new shipyard was the Invincible submarine. Therefore, in some reference books, instead of Type 218SG, the phrase Invincible class is used to designate the next generation of German submarines.
The main hull was launched in February 2019. According to the statement of the ThyssenKrupp Marine Branch (ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, abbreviated TKMS), the Type 218SG was specially created by the designers of Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW, part of TKMS) to meet the requirements of the Singapore Navy. The work was carried out under an agreement with the Singapore government signed in 2013. According to media publications, TKMS is the holder of the contract, and its amount is $ 1.36 billion. Four years later, a foreign client decided to increase the initial order to four buildings. The cost of the revised contract is not given. It is estimated that each serial submarine will cost the customer 1 billion euros.
Launched more than four years ago, Invincible still continues to be tested. The transfer planned for 2022 to the customer was postponed to 2023 and has not yet taken place. A possible reason for the delay was a fire on board during testing. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
The delay in testing the lead ship did not affect the pace of construction of the series. The hulls of the Impeccable and Illustrious submarines were launched simultaneously on December 13 last year. They are currently being completed afloat. The hull of the fourth Inimitable boat is being formed, and the fifth (not yet named) is being prepared for laying.
As of the summer of 2023, the Singapore order is the only one for the Type 218. Potential customers are not in a hurry, but are waiting for the completion of acceptance tests and the first results of operation. With all the positive qualities, German underwater equipment is very complex in design and demanding in operation. Therefore, those who are considering the purchase option are waiting for the moment when the new product will pass the initial operation stage, during which German designers will identify and eliminate the "childhood diseases" that are inevitable for such a complex technique.
EQUIPMENT FOR NATO
It was noted above that in order to meet the needs of its own navy sailors and their colleagues from NATO allies, Germany is creating a Type 212CD NPL. Although the project has retained the same digital index as the previous generation boat (Type 212A), this is only a demonstration of continuity. In fact, the new submarine is a much more advanced development.
For several years, the designers carried out search work, the result of which satisfied the naval commanders. In 2021, the German government placed an order for a pair of Type 212CD NAPS, and Norway placed an order for two pairs. The total value of the relevant contracts amounted to 5.5 billion euros. The readiness of the lead ship is planned for 2029, the first serial – for 2032, the third hull - for 2034.
The next customer may be Italy. Negotiations are underway between Berlin and Rome to continue the licensed construction of German boats at the Cantieri del Muggiano shipyard. Earlier, the company assembled four boats according to the German Type 212A project. They entered service with the Italian Navy in 2006, 2007, 2016 and 2017, respectively.
The topic is handled by Fincantieri. She plans to build four more boats according to the German project with delivery by 2033. Close cooperation has been established between German and Italian shipbuilders. Therefore, it seems that we are not talking about obsolete ships of the Type 212A project, but much more modern, most likely with the CD suffix. While negotiations are underway, the contracting parties do not disclose details of the future agreement.
Compared to the original Type 212A, the variant with the CD suffix has grown significantly in size. Thus, the length of the hull increased by 17 m, to 73, and the width – by 3 m, to 10. Accordingly, the surface displacement increased from 1,450 to 2,500 tons .
Such a significant increase in size leaves no doubt that we are not facing a "modernized" old project, but a completely new one. The guess is only reinforced by additional facts. So, among the features of the Type 212CD, the designers indicate the absence of penetrating retractable devices: only electro-optical masts will be extended from the wing-shaped fence.
SHIP POWER ENGINEERING
Today it is not completely clear what the Type 212CD NAPL power plant will be. Traditionally, the leading role in this area is played by the Siemens concern. He has developed an innovative Permasyn electric motor, as well as his own versions of an electrochemical generator (ECG) based on fuel cells. All this was used for the first time on board the Type 212A and most likely in some new incarnation will switch to Type 212CD. There is no doubt about this part.
The question is how the hydrogen fuel and other substances necessary for the ship's power plant will be stored on the boat.
The hydrogen metal hydride used in the Type 212A and Type 214 NAPL makes it possible to achieve a high level of safety. At the same time, however, the hydrogen storage system turns out to be quite cumbersome.
Therefore, Siemens began to look for another way, namely, the production of hydrogen on board – the conversion (reforming) of hydrocarbon fuel. As far as we know, the Germans chose methanol. A similar system was announced in relation to the Type 212A, but has not found any application here.
The experimental coastal installation was created by the German firm TKMS and the Spanish SENER Defense. An interesting system of compression and removal of carbon dioxide overboard at the working depths of the dive was developed. Thanks to its implementation, it is possible to achieve almost complete dissolution of carbon dioxide in seawater.
Methanol decomposes quite easily, which requires less oxygen. The hydrogen produced in this case has a very high degree of purity. The decomposition process is accompanied by the release of a small amount of carbon dioxide. This fact should be taken into account by those of the designers who deal with the issues of keeping the submarine at a given depth. The release of carbon dioxide (it is dissolved in water and dumped overboard) should be organized so that it does not become a unmasking sign of the presence of a submarine nearby (the enemy can use gas analyzers to search for it).
Methanol is very toxic. Fuel tanks, pipelines and devices intended for this substance must be thoroughly sealed, regularly checked for leaks both during operation and when loading fuel. Methyl alcohol dissolves in water. Accordingly, it cannot be stored according to the type of diesel fuel with water intake into the same tank where the fuel is contained. Accordingly, there is a problem of compensation during the production of liquid stored in the tank.
Obviously, for a boat with fuel cells and similar hydrogen production, an appropriate coastal infrastructure will be required. In addition, appropriate procedures and technical means are needed for the purchase and storage of this toxic type of alcohol, as well as for refueling tanks for its storage on a submarine.
A German industrial group has developed and tested a demonstrator of a methanol conversion power plant on an initiative basis. And then, on its basis, I built a prototype of a serial converter installation. The program turned out to be quite time-consuming and financially costly. It was carried out on a scientific and engineering line, and during the work it was possible to solve issues with exhaust emissions. Nevertheless, based on the analysis of the results obtained, it was decided not to equip Type 212A submarines with this system.
Among the reasons were the following. The mass and overall parameters of the system turned out to be too large for integration into the basic project (and that was a classic diesel-electric submarine). In addition, the customer, represented by the German Ministry of Defense, was forced to reduce allocations for the implementation of the project due to the economic crisis that befell the country.
As far as we know, HDW has not completely stopped working on further improvement of the methanol converter. Moreover, German shipbuilders continue to offer customers a methanol converter for an anaerobic power plant. In particular, such a solution was proposed for the promising Type 216 project.
Although this topic has not been developed, the developments obtained in its course were used in the Type 218SG project.
Israel
The prospect of further development of the TKMS shipbuilding program is associated with a certain intrigue. In 2017, Israel signed a letter of intent, and in January 2022, it issued an order to German shipbuilders for the construction of three new submarines. The Dakar lead boat is scheduled for delivery in 2031. Initially, the cost of the program was estimated at 1.5 billion euros, and the German government expressed readiness to cover up to 30% of the required project financing with its subsidies. However, last year it became known that the recalculated amount of the contract increased to 3 billion euros (1 billion per unit of production).
It is claimed that the Dakar NPL will be made using Type 212CD technologies, but according to a special project. However, the basic project is intended exclusively for NATO countries. It is logical to assume that the Israeli program will lead to the creation of another kind of export model Type 218. And time will tell what happens in fact.
Vyacheslav Ivanov
Vyacheslav Viktorovich Ivanov is a military expert and historian.
