September 6, 2017

Updated Table of Japan's Soryu & Oyashio Submarine Program: Admiral Kobayashi

On September 4, 2017 Anonymous provided new information here and here updating Submarine Matter's Amended Improvements & Higher Costs of Soryu Mark IIs Over Mark Is of August 21, 2017

 TABLE - SORYU & Oyashio Program as at January 16, 2018 

SS
No.
Build No
Name
Pennant
No.
MoF approved amount ¥
Billions FY
LABs, LIBs, AIP
Laid Down
Laun
-ched
Commi
ssioned
Built
By
5SS Oyashio
8105 Oyashio
SS-590/ TS3608
¥52.2B FY1993
LABs only
 Jan 1994
Oct 1996
Mar 1998
 KHI
6SS-15SS
Oyashios
10 subs
8106
-8115
various
SS-591-600
¥52.2B per sub
FY1994-FY2003
LABs only
 15SS Feb
2004
15SS
Nov
2006
15SS
Mar 2008
 MHI
&
KHI
16SS
Soryu Mk 1
8116
Sōryū
SS-501
¥60B FY2004
LABs + AIP
Mar 2005
Dec 2007
Mar
2009
MHI
17SS
8117
Unryū
SS-502
¥58.7B FY2005
LABs + AIP
Mar 2006
Oct 2008
Mar
2010
KHI
18SS
8118
Hakuryū
SS-503
¥56.2 FY2006
LABs + AIP
Feb 2007
Oct 2009
Mar
2011
MHI
19SS
8119
Kenryū
SS-504
¥53B FY2007
LABs + AIP
Mar 2008
Nov 2010
Mar
2012
KHI
20SS
8120
Zuiryū
SS-505
¥51B FY2008
LABs + AIP
Mar 2009
Oct 2011
Mar
2013
MHI
No 21SS
No 21SS built
22SS
8121
Kokuryū
SS-506
¥52.8B FY2010
LABs + AIP
Jan 2011
Oct 2013
Mar
2015
KHI
23SS
8122
Jinryu
SS-507
¥54.6B FY2011
LABs + AIP
Feb 2012
Oct 2014
7 Mar 2016
MHI
24SS
8123
Sekiryū
SS-508
¥54.7B FY2012
LABs + AIP
KHI
25SS
8124
SS-509
¥53.1B FY2013
LABs + AIP
22 Oct 2013
12 Oct   2016
Mar? 2018
MHI
26SS
8125 Shyuriyu
SS-510
LABs + AIP
2014
6 Nov 2017
Mar 2019?
KHI
27SS First
Soryu Mk 2
8126
SS-511
LIBs only
2015
late
2018?
Mar
2020
MHI
28SS  Second
Soryu Mark 2
8127
SS-512
¥63.6B FY2016
LIBs only
2016?
late 2019?
Mar 2021?
KHI
29SS First Soryu Mk 3
(1) (3)
8128
?
¥76B FY2017
LIBs only
?
?
2023?
MHI?
30SS Second Soryu Mk 3 (2)
8029?
?
¥71.5B FY2018
LIBs only
?
?
2024?
KHI?
Table from information exclusively provided to Submarine MattersLABs = lead-acid batteries, AIP = air independent propulsion, LIBs = lithium-ion batteries. ¥***B = Billion Yen. MHI = Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, KHI Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation of Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
---

Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) announced the Financial Year FY 2018 budget on August 31, 2017. Based on the FY 2017 and FY 2018 budgets, the SORYU & Oyashio Program Table (above) can be revised (in red) as follows.

(1) Correction of 29SS; i) “Build No” is 8128; “[the Japanese Ministry of Finance (MoF)] approved amount Yen Billions & FY” is JPY 76 (7.6*)B FY2017.

(2) Addition of 30SS; i) “Build No” is 8029?; MoF approved amount Yen Billions & FY” is JPY 71.5 (2.3*)B FY2018 (submitted).

* Figure in bracket is the first year cost, such as new equipment, and is excluded from the FY budget number. In other words, the real budgets for 29SS and 30SS are 83.6 (=76 + 7.6) and 73.8 (=71.5 + 2.3) JPY B (Billion Japanese Yen), respectively. The first year cost for both 29SS and 30SS recognises that the builders of the two submarines are different.

According to the MOD, first year costs include i) design, ii) test, iii) technical collaboration, and iv) acquisition costs. These costs exclude jigs/tools, machines and equipment. These costs are related to the first year procurement and are specially required for production. 


The first year cost of 29SS (ie. 7.6 B JPY) is much higher than 30SS (2.3 B JPY). One major cost component may be design. The design cost of 29SS is obviously higher than 30SS.

(3) For application in future 29SS-type submarine, a budget for the study of a new silent driving system has been submitted.

Research on the quiet propulsion (or silent driving?) system and hull shape are considered budgeting. The results of previous research will be applied to 29SS-type submarine. An issue remains whether 29SS type submarines can be called Soryu Mark 3 or Soryu Mark 4. A submarine class that follows the Soryus will likely be based on additional research.

Reported in the Japanese language publication SHIPS OF THE WORLD, October 2017 - the ex-commander of the submarine fleet Admiral (retired) Masao Kobayashi (photo and bio details below from Submarine Matters' records) has revealed that 29SS is an upgraded version of the Soryu, with improved LIBs, improved sonars and other performance improvements. So 29SS and 30SS can be considered Soryu Mark 3s.



 Vice Admiral Masao KOBAYASHI, JMSDF (Retired)  

Masao KOBAYASHI has performed as an adviser to Japan's National Security Council. He graduated from the Japanese Defense Academy in 1973 and commenced a career in the JMSDF submarine service. He held many posts in the submarine force.

Shore billets included Submarine Branch Head in the Ship Systems Section in the Maritime Staff Office and Operations Officer in the Fleet Submarine Force.

He has commanded TAKASHIO SS-571 (Uzushio class submarine), and was Commander of Submarine Division Two. In 2001/2 he was the Commander of Submarine Flotilla One, and was Coordinator of Exercise at sea for Pacific Reach 2002.

Masao’s last post was as Commander of the Fleet Submarine Force (2007 - 2009). He retired from the JMSDF in 2009. Vice Admiral KOBAYASHI served with distinction in the JMSDF and is well regarded as an authority in the international submariner community. 


Anonymous and Pete

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

According to MoD, first year cost, which includes i) design cost, ii) test cost, iii) technical collaboration cost, and iv) acquisition cost of exclusive jigs/tools, machines and equipment, is related to the first year procurement and is specially required for production.

First year cost of 29SS (7.6 B JPY) is much higher than 30SS (2.3 B JPY). One of the reasons may be design cost. Design cost of 29SS is obviously higher than 30SS.

Reseachs on quiet propulsion system and hull shape are budgeting. Result of former research will be applied in 29SS-type submarine (Soryu MK III b or MK IV?). Post Soryu may be based on result latter research.

Regards

Pete said...

Thanks Anonymous

I'll place your words (at 7/9/17 12:05 AM) in the article text.

Regards

Pete

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

In MoD, first year cost and specication of purchasing product are two criterions for judging whether the product is new or not. In the case of new product, first year cost is usually incurred and new specification is needed. But it is not the case for 29SS where first year cost is incurred but specication is revised, suggesting that 29SS series belong to Soryu series, but are going to experience big modification.

On reseach on quiet propulsion system, low noise driving sytem and its control system is developed. Proto type system is manufactured from 2018 to 2021, and its evaluation is conduced in 2022 with total budget of 5.6 B JPY. As cost of current propulsion system is ca. 1B JPY, big improvement in performance is expect.

So, new quite driving and control system may be equipped in late 29SS series (Soryu Mark IV?).

Regards

Anonymous said...

The next China flat top is coming, 2019-2020, this time with CATOBAR. Drawings on the web show J-20 in hangar, if remotely true that is going to spell troubles for all tose F/A-18 and F-35. USN watch out.
KQN

Pete said...

Hi KQN

I see it more likely China would use the developed J-15* for the first few years of CATOBAR (Type 002**) carrier operations.

Using an immature J-20 with an immature 002 AND getting past the US F-35 lead may all wait till 2028 or later.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_J-15#Operational_history

** http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/chinas-next-aircraft-carrier-everything-we-know-so-far-19965

Regards

Pete

Pete said...

Kyle Mizokami, at The National Interest, has written a good description of the Soryu's characteristics including its limited range.

See it at http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/japan-just-might-have-the-worlds-best-non-nuclear-stealth-23085?page=show of 7 November 2017

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete [8/11/17 12:32 PM]

Kyle Mizokami’s article is interesting, but, I do not satisfy following paragraph.

“The Soryu class isn’t perfect, though: one major criticism of the boats during the Australian submarine competition was their relatively short operating range. At 6,100 nautical miles, the Soryu’s range wasn’t an issue for their original mission: protecting the home waters of Japan.”


JMSDF has huge data on patrol of its submarines, and grasps maximam range and adequate amout of fuel to be loaded. Based on these data, optimal design of submarine is conducted. For example, if submarine loads excess amount of fuel, it become bigger and more to-be-detected. Relatively short range of 6100 nm proves optimal design of Japanese submarine, and very long operation range may be failure of design, because concept of opimal design is not well understood. According to JMSDF, Soryu stays on the ocean floor for a week to surveillance. In such situation, bigger sonar is needed instead of huge amount of fuel.

Regards
S