Later Japanese Responses to "7 Problems With The Japanese Option"

Soryu class submarine SS-506 "Kokuryu" being built at the KHI shipyard in Kobe, Japan. SS-506 was commissioned in March 2014. 

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PETE'S COMMENT

The Japanese opinion (probably a consensus) that the submarine for Australia should not be made using extremely difficult to weld (and highly national security sensitive) NS110 Japanese submarine steel opens up a range of "not build/assemble in Japan" production possibilities. One possibility in Japan's response to the CEP is "assemble in Australia".

I'm increasingly interpreting Japan's intention as Japan manufacturing the submarine parts in Japan. These parts will involve an easier to weld (lower than NS110 value) pressure hull steel. Then the parts will be shipped to ASC-Adelaide and perhaps other Australian shipyards. Then assembled, including welded together, in Adelaide.

JAPANESE RESPONSES IN MORE DETAIL

At http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/7-problems-with-japanese-option.html in Comments on August 23, 2015 at 11:42 AM a Japanese representative (possibly from the Japanese Ministry of Defence) responded to Australian Made Defence’s "7 Problems [Questions in red] With The Japanese Option" I have asked follow-up questions at 2 and 6.

Question 1 “What are the risks?”

Japanese Response:

1-1) Hull stability and operation temperature

The pressure hull is designed for [operational temperature ranges of] ca. -30C to ca. +50C. This temperature range does not depend on country. [Information from China, Russia and Australia is within that] temperature range. [Adaptation of a cold water-hull to warm water conditions is not a problem. Rather a greater concern would be hull steel brittleness if a hull designed for warm water is used in cold water].

1-2) Modification [to increase operational] range

For increasing of operation range, hull must be elongated [lengthened] for carrying extra fuel. The Soryu is the hull elongation [lengthened] version of Oyashio, but there are no problem related to hull elongation.

Question 2 ”Will Australia have to pay for the development of a new shipyard and workforce in Japan to build it submarines?”

Japanese Response:

In the case of knock-down production [of Japanese submarines in Australia?]. The Japanese responder does not think that an  additional new shipyard is required. A professional engineer team of KHI and MHI as field [superintendents-managers would visit the] Australian Submarine Corporation. [They would provide guidance for] Australian engineers on welding and assembling of steels, materials and parts from Japan.

Question 3 ”How long do Japanese submarines last?”

Japanese Response:

Design and building of submarine may be optimized for achieving given submarine life based on modern quality control concepts. If submarine user requires a longer life-time, the design and building will be optimized again. But, I do not think that it will not be a big modification, because the safety factors are considered well in the original 15 years-operation submarine.

Question 4 ”What will be Australia’s capacity to sustain submarines built in Japan?”

Japanese Response:

If new hull material is developed by a [Australian-Japanese corporation] Australia and Japan will share the related intellectual properties according to contribution.

Question 5 ” Can the hulls be built in Japan and fitted-out in Australia?”

Japanese Response:

[A] modular building system is adopted for the current Soryu submarine. Beside hull welding-connection work, involvement of Australian manufacturers in constructing and installation of each module will be important issue, too.

Question 6 “ How do we go in times of trouble?”

Japanese Response:

Trouble related to "black box" technology [highly sensitive technology, like the snorkel system] will be fixed in Japan or by Japanese experts.

Question 7 ”Will we repeat the problems of the past?”

Japanese Response:

The Japan lacks experience of arm export. But, many companies involved in Japanese submarine building are very famous and first class, they export their products and some of them have foreign branches."

Pete