You are Here>NCSUBVETS>DBF>Germany U-31, Aussies kick our butt, Renewed interest in Diesel electric

From an email sent by Chuck Jensen, CDR Tarheel Base.

Subj: A resurgence of interest in the diesel powered submarine.

(Full text of the article from the Honolulu Star is here) opens in new page

The following was written by Gregg K. Kakesako of the Honolulu Star Bulletin and was sent to the Center by Gerry Patten.  A few paragraphs of that article are: Highly capable diesel-powered submarines have emerged as the U.S.'s "premier potential adversary" since the end of the cold war.  In recent years, China, North Korea and other countries have acquired diesel-electric submarines that are so quiet in the water that it is difficult for U.S. forces to detect them.  "We have to be able to deal with that," said Admiral Walter Doran, CincPacFlt. . . Capt. Robert Ford, Chief of Staff for ComSubPac said, "Diesel submarines pose a real problem.  It's a formidable threat when you think what a diesel-powered submarine can do.  They're very quiet when running on batteries and they can remain submerged for extended periods of time, from days to weeks.  With the advent of air independent propulsion, the need to come up and recharge their batteries is drastically reduced."  Besides their ability to remain quiet and nearly undetectable, Ford said, some of these diesel subs are outfitted to remain on the ocean bottom, motionless for extended periods of time. . . "Diesel submarines only make sound when they come up to snorkel to recharge their batteries," Ford added.  "That's the problem - all the sensing devices are predicated on the passive acoustical spectrum." The following was sent to the Center by Mike Bickel. Australian 'Hit' On U.S. Sub Gets Attention

By Nathan Hodge

WASHINGTON--The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet confirmed today that an Australian diesel submarine "sank" a U.S. nuclear-powered sub during a recent training exercise in the Pacific. The significance of the event is not clear, but it reportedly has stirred considerable conversation in the Navy. In naval exercises, it's common for participants to achieve simulated hits. But a recent article in an Australian newspaper said the Americans were "shocked" by the performance of the opposing force's submarines. Speaking at a breakfast this morning with defense reporters, Adm. Walter Doran said the Australians' Collins-class sub had scored a hit against the U.S. boat "in an exercise context," but he suggested an Australian submarine commander may have exaggerated the significance of his success. Commodore Mike Deeks, an Australian submarine group commander, boasted in the Sept. 24 edition of the Brisbane Courier-Mail: "We surprise them. ... The Americans pour billions into their submarines, but we are better at practical applications." Doran downplayed the Australians' success, saying the foreign vessel was still no match for a U.S. sub. "These were pretty much set geometries for training exercises between the two submarines," Doran said. "It certainly does not mean that the Collins-class submarine in a one-on-one situation is going to defeat our L.A. class or our nuclear submarines." Navy Lt. Elissa Smith, a Navy spokeswoman, described the exercise as "tactical development and training of prospective commanding officers" for both the U.S. and Australian navies. Two subs took part in the exercise: the USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705), a Los Angeles-class nuclear sub, and the HMAS Waller, an Australian diesel-electric boat. Smith was not immediately able to provide the exact date or name of the exercise, but added: "During the exercise, there were events during which both submarines were simulated as being hit by exercise torpedoes." Doran, for his part, acknowledged that the article had caused a stir. "The article's getting a fair amount of attention right now, it's being passed around," he said. One of the reasons that Doran is in Washington is to talk with the Navy's top admiral, Adm. Vern Clark, about the Navy's need to shift training and resources toward anti-submarine warfare, or ASW. "We have to adapt ourselves to a new world," Doran said. "The new world is the proliferation of very capable, very quiet diesel-electric ... submarines throughout the world, and you have to be able to deal with that." In the Pacific, U.S. military planners have been particularly concerned about China's efforts to expand its submarine inventory, including the domestically built Song-class submarine and the Russian-designed Kilo SS-class subs, described in a recent Pentagon report as "one of the quietest diesel-electric submarines in the world." According to Doran, the Navy needs to boost ASW training and exercises in order to better prepare for the threat from diesel-electric boats. He said he had adopted a "stair-step approach," putting every carrier battle group through an ASW course before it deploys. Diesel-electric subs, he said, "are not 10 feet tall, but we have to re-dedicate ourselves to getting back into the issue."

The Center's affiliate office in Bremerhaven, Germany sends us the following:

GERMANY'S U-BOOT SHIPBUILDING PROGRAM

(Click here for a translated version of this class of ship's web page) Opens in new page

After the Second World War the U. S. Navy put all its eggs into the nuclear propulsion basket.  Through the zeal of Hyman Rickover and others the Navy abandoned fuel-cell, closed cycle and other forms of air-independent propulsion research.  Economics constrained propulsion research to a single method and that was nuclear.

The Soviets, trying to keep up with their global adversary emulated the Untied States and concentrated on nuclear power as the energy source of the future.  Other nations were slow to begin submarine building programs.  France and Germany bid for diesel electric jobs in the seventies as nations desired to possess submarines even if they were not nuclear.

In August, 2003 South Africa awarded a submarine building contract to a French shipyard.  In Germany Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG is currently building four new boats for the German Navy.  Since 1974 the Kiel based company has produced over 30 submarines, the majority of which have been sold to other nations.  The company also builds ferries and cruise ships but its pride is in its submarines.

The four newest boats are being built in Emden by a specialist yard, Thyssen-Nordseewerke.  The U-31, first of the four boats, a Class 212A design is scheduled for delivery about March 30, 2004 after the boat has completed its sea trials.  It will feature a closed cycle engine and advanced fuel cell system of continuous hydrogen production.  It is equipped with snorkel and a single screw of advanced quiet design.  It is wrapped in sound absorbing tiles and its auxiliary machinery is sound mounted.

As the submarine building business gets rolling the German manufacturer has subcontractors working in Sweden (Kokum) and Greece (Hellenic).  The new boats are small by U.S. standards, being 55.15 meters long and 6.25 meters in width.

To obtain free pictures and dissected views of the above submarines call, write or email the Center.  We will send the pictures to you via regular mail at no cost to you.