June 3, 2021

Total Cost Table for Japanese Sub Main Batteries: Taigei Table


 (Table in Billions of Japanese Yen. At June 3, 2021 approx 110 Yen = 1 $US )

wispywood2344, on May 29, 2021, kindly provided the above table and comments to the effect: 

I have prepared a Total Cost Table for Japanese Submarine Main Batteries above and at image (rather than website):

 http://blog.livedoor.jp/wispywood2344/others/JMSDF_Submarine_Battery_Contract_v1.png ) of procurement contracts providing the total cost of the “Main Battery” (total of 100s tonnes of individual battery cells) installed/soon to be installed on the 17 most recent Japanese submarines.

See Submarine Matters'  Oyashio-Soryu-Taigei TABLE below to place the 17 subs.

These 17 submarines are:

- 1 The last sub of the Oyashio class Japanese Submarine (JS) Mochishio (SS15)

- +10 /The ten Lead-acid Battery (LABs) and AIP (LABs + AIP) Soryu Mk.1 subs (JS Soryu (SS16) to JS Shoryu (SS26) inclusive). Note there was never a sub designated "SS21" as "SS21" was a Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) Development Program which years later provided LIBs on the Soryu Mk.2s and the Taigei-class.

- +2 The two Soryu Mk.2s (JS Oryu and JS Toryu)

- +4 The first four hulls of the Taigei-class.

The list is based on documents downloaded from the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) of Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) or ATLA’s predecessor's website. But there were many documents and some of them have already been deleted. For this reason wispy has not included the URLs of the sources.

This list shows that the price of the Main Battery (LABs for Japanese submarines  codenamed “SCG”) for JS Shoryu (26SS) was 8.9% cheaper than that for the first of class JS Soryu (16SS) and the price of LCO formula (codenamed “SLH”) LIBs for JS Toryu (28SS) was 8.7% cheaper than for its predecessor JS Oryu (27SS).

If the price of the Main Battery is proportional to quantity, the quantity of SCG for JS Shoryu (26SS) should be 8.7% less than that for JS Soryu (16SS) and the quantity of SLH for JS Toryu (28SS) should be 8.9% less than that for JS Oryu (27SS).

A reduction in the quantity of main batteries would mean a reduction in dive time.

How can such a "performance reduction" be possible? It is completely irrational.

Therefore, it should be considered that the contract price of batteries is not proportional to the quantity.
-------------------------
 

Anonymous commented on June 2, 2021:

Usually, the price of purchased items decreases somewhat every year due to progress in returning their capital investment and work efficiency improvement and so on. If the MoD paid the same money every day, the Board of Audit (BoA) would ask the MoD for the reason. Not only batteries but also the price of the 12V25/25SB submarine diesels shows similar trends.

Then, the higher price of SLHs in JS Toryu compared to JS Taigei clearly suggests increased numbers battery cells (+ca.5% = +ca. 30SLHs) of SLHs in JS Taigei.
-----------------------
 

Pete Comment

I agree with Anonymous’s explanation for the cost reduction and add.

Another way of saying costs reduce due to “progress in returning their capital investment and work efficiency improvement” is the MoD and Japanese Ministry of Finance (MoF) make a conscious accounting decision to attribute more of the new Main Battery development costs to the first submarine with that Main Battery fitout.

This conscious accounting decision is evident in the non-coincidental pattern of cost reduction, ie. the reductions above are almost the same (8.9% versus 8.7%).

“Work efficiency improvement” might apply to more efficient battery production and more efficient installation of those batteries in the submarines over time.

AND/OR

It could include a much wider range of adjustments in the submarine to accommodate a heavier Main Battery tonnage, including ballast and buoyancy changes within the sub.
-------------------

Oyashio-Soryu-Taigei TABLE as at October 15, 2021.
 

SS
No.
Diesel Type
Motor
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
2 x 12V25/25S 
diesels for all
Oyashio class
(each diesel
2,000kW)
LABs only
 Jan 1994
Oct 1996
Mar 1998
 KHI
6SS-15SS
Oyashios 
10 subs
SMC-7?
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
Dragon
class  Mk I
8116
SS-501
¥60B FY2004 all Mk.1 LAB+AIP Soryus have 2 x Kawasaki 
4,240kW)
+ 4 AIP
SMC-8 motor
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
21SS LIBs Concept
Research
Project
No 21SS built. It was an 8 year research project on LIBs. 1st LIBs sub launched was 27SS in 2018.
   


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
MHI
26SS
8125
SS-510
¥51.7B FY2014
last SMC-8 motor
LABs + AIP
2014
6 Nov 2017
KHI
27SS a Soryu
"Mk II" as it
has LIBs. 1st
Soryu Mk II 
8126
Oryū
11th
Soryu
SS-511
¥64.4B FY2015 
with 2 12V25/25SB diesels (totaling 4,240kW) 
SMC-8B motor
Soryu Mk IIs may have twice as many batteries as Mk Is, ie 960 LIB-arrays in Mk IIs, other improvements
LIBs only
(SLH type)
Nov
2015
4 Oct
2018
2020
MHI
28SS Soryu
Mk II, 12th &
final Soryu
8127
SS-512
¥63.6B FY2016
"2,950t" surfaced
12V25/25SB diesels
LIBs
Jan 2017
KHI
29SS
1st
3,000 tonne
(surfaced)
8128
Taigei
SS-513
¥76B FY2017 (Heisei 29)
Higher ¥76budget 
may be due to 1st of class many changes & new layout of LIBs. 2 x
12V25/25SB
diesels or variants
(totaling
SLH
LIBs
maybe
960
month?in 
2017

14 Oct
2020
 
Mar 2022
MHI

30SS 
2nd Taigei Class 
8129?
Hakugei

SS-514
SLH
LIBs
2018?
2023
KHI
31/01SS 
3rd
Taigei Class

SS-515
SLH
LIBs
maybe
960+
2019?
2021?
2023?
MHI?
02SS 
4th
Taigei Class 
8130?
SS-516
¥B? FY2020 (Reiwa 02)
Improved SLH LIBS. New
2 x 12V25/31S
diesels (totaling
Impro
ved SLH
LIBs
2020?
2022?
2024?
KHI?
03SS
8131?
SS-517
¥B? FY2021
LIBs 
2021?
2023?
2025?
KHI?
04SS
8132?
SS-518
¥B? FY2022
LIBs
2022?
2024?
2026?
MHI?
05SS 
8133?
SS-519
¥B? FY2023
LIBs
2023?
2025?
2027?
KHI?
06SS
8134?
SS-520
¥B? FY2024
LIBs 
2024?
2026?
2028?
MHI?
07SS 
8135?
SS-521
¥B? FY2025
LIBs
2025?
2027?
2029?
KHI?
08SS 
8136?
SS-522
¥B? FY2026

LIBs
2026?
2028?2030?
MHI?
Key to Table: Table information provided by Anonymous to Submarine MattersLABs = lead-acid batteries, AIP = air independent propulsion, LIB= Lithium-ion Batteries. 
¥***B
 = Billion Yen. MHI = Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, KHI = Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. 
---

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete,

Japan Now Has Its First Woman Submariner

"On May 18, 2021, Lieutenant Junior Grade Risa Takenouchi became the first female officer to serve on a submarine in the history of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)."

/Kjell

wispywood2344 said...

Hi Pete and Anonymous.

According to the "General rules for submarine electric propulsion system", Sōryū Mk.1 has 480 SCGs.[1]
Since there is no information that the quantity of SCGs varies from ship to ship, it should be considered that every Sōryū Mk.1 has 480 SCGs.
This is quite natural, considering that the arrangement and quantity of main batteries strongly affect the overall mass and the position of the centre of gravity of the submarine.

By the way, If the principle that the procurement price of items decreases year by year is absolute, then the price of SCGs should also decrease consistently.
However, the price of SCGs for 22SS(Kokuryū) is 4.2% higher than that for 20SS(Zuiryū), which is contrary to this principle.
In other words, a price increase of this magnitude can occur without a quantity increase.

Therefore, the fact that the price of SLHs for 29SS(Taigei) has risen by 3.4% compared with those for 28SS(Tōryū) is no basis for the claim that the quantity of SLHs for 29SS(Taigei) has increased compared with 28SS(Tōryū).

Ultimately, in order to settle this argument, we have to refer to the procurement contract and/or its annexes.
One of those annexes is the specification document.
The specification document of SLHs for 27SS(Ōryū), which I received from the MoD, lists the contract quantity for one ship.[2]
Also, as I have previously stated in the procurement contract list, the specification documents of SLHs for 28SS(Tōryū) & 29SS(Taigei) & 30SS are the same version as that for 27SS(Ōryū).
These facts mean that the quantities of SLHs to be installed in these 4 ships are all identical.

[1]https://www.mod.go.jp/atla/nds/F/F8004_2.pdf#page=29
[2]http://blog.livedoor.jp/wispywood2344/others/SLH_for_27SS_P_1_s.png

Regards

wispywood2344

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete and wispywood2344 (Jun 6, 2021, 6:43:00 PM)
Quantities of SLHs in Taigei increase than those in Ouryu and Toryu.
Usually, Japanese submarine is built every year. SS505 Zuiryu and SS506 Kokuryu were ordered in 2008 and 2010, but no submarine was ordered in 2009 according to Midterm Defense Buildup Program (Apr/2005-Mar/2010). Two years interval of building might provide decrease in production efficiency, therefore increases in cost. BoA (Board of Audit) never admit cost increase without rational reason, but the cost increase of SCGs in Kokuryu seems to be rational and acceptable for BoA.
As SS-511 Ouryu, SS-512 Toryu and Tagei were ordered in regular basis, cost increase of SLHs in Taigei without their quantity increase is not rational.
[1]In the case of 980SCGs production (480SCGs for new submarine, 480SCGs for battery replacement), their production in 2010 is 480SCGs (=50% of 2011). Battery manufacturer can not supply SCGs without price increase.
Regards

Anonymous said...

On comment (Jun 27, 2021, 5:36:00 PM)

Another reason for increased cost of SCGs in Kokuryu might be revision of SCGs. SLHs in Taigei yet experienced such revision.

Arrangement and quantity of SLHs which could not be optimized in Ouryu and Toryu due to their AIP-originated architecture are optimized in Taigei.

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

Sea trial of latest Japanese submarine, Taigeai has started [1]. Bridge of Taigei is longer than that of Soryu-class submarine as shown in video and picture [2, 3, 4].


[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XMpMQaEdIA
“Departure of SS-513 Taigei for sea trial”

[2] ibid, 2:28/10:37

[3] https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%9D%E3%81%86%E3%82%8A%E3%82%85%E3%81%86%E5%9E%8B%E6%BD%9C%E6%B0%B4%E8%89%A6#/media/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:JS_Hakuryu_(SS-503)_arrives_at_Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor-Hickam_for_a_scheduled_port_visit,_-6_Feb._2013_(YP255-023).jpg
Picture of Hakuru, the third ship of Soryu-class submarine

[4] Length/height of bridge: 2.4 for Taigei, 2.1 for Hakuryu

Regards

Pete said...

Hi Anonymous [your Sep 5, 2021, 6:53:00 PM]

Thanks so much for your comment.

I have turned it into article https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2021/09/taigei-submarine-has-longer-probably.html of September 9, 2021.

Regards

Pete