Soryu Cutaway Diagrams - Evolution Towards Soryu Aus.

Wispywood2344 has drawn this cutaway of future Soryu Aus. - very relevant if Japan is chosen to design the future submarine. This diagram was originally at Wispywood2344's  

http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/wispywood2344/imgs/f/a/fa477755.png

Here is Wispywood2344's website - right click mouse to Translate into English. 

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Wispywood2344 has drawn the estimated (educated guess) diagrams above and below. 

Below is the first batch of ten Soryus (the Mark "Mk" 1s). They have Stirling AIP and Lead-acid Batteries (LABs). The first, SS-501, was Laid Down in 2007. The last of the ten Soryu Mk.1s built is SS-510 which is due to be Commissioned in 2019 - see Soryu Table below. To see the diagrams further enlarged and with clearer section numbers, see 

http://blog.livedoor.jp/wispywood2344/others/Soryu_Cutaway_Variants.svg.

Due to perceived safety, efficiency and weight problems with the AIP Japan will not carry AIP over to the two submarine (SS-511 and SS-512) of the Soryu Mk.2 class. The other major difference in the Mk.2s is Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs). Japan has done sufficient research and testing of LIBs to say that all future Japanese submarines, Mk.2s onwards, will have LIBs. LIBs have quicker charging and greater storage qualities compared to LABs. Reliability over 10 years of operational life might only be estblished in 2027 - just prior to any Soryu Aus being Laid Down.

Looking at the section numbers the changes from Mk.1 to Mk.2 may include:

1)  Abolition of Stirling AIP system [section 9]

2)  Abolition of LABs (total 480) [section 5, 8]

3)  Adoption of LIBs (480 + approximately 240 = 720 LIBs) To lower ther center of gravity and reduce stray magnetic field, modification of hull may be considered to arrange LIBs on the bottom floor of Soryu Mk.2s [section 5, 8, 13]

S comments The estimation of features of Soryu Mk.2s (SS-511 and SS-512) [see SORYU TABLE below] is very interesting, because:

-  these Mk.2s have no very expensive (2 Billion yen) (see column "MoF approved amount ¥ Billions" in the TABLE) AIP but still have a budget that makes each 12 billion yen more expensive than the Mk.1s. 

-  Nothing is reported on the Mk.2 features except LIBs, but, we cannot explain this budget increase due just to an increased number and price of batteries (720 LIBs vs 480 LABs, 6 vs 3 million yen/battery)." 

-  The increase for the Mk.2s may also be due to 

    =  a new snorkel system which includes a small generator (needed to quickly recharge the LIBs)

    =  new diesel generators, 

    =  fully adopting the floating deck, and

    =  new sonar system. 

-  But still no new GX6 torpedoes (the Type 89s will remain).

4)  Existence of unassigned area (probably be assigned to accommodation) [sectoin ?,??]

To see the diagrams further enlarged and with clearer section numbers, see http://blog.livedoor.jp/wispywood2344/others/Soryu_Cutaway_Variants.svg.

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If Japan is chosen the Soryu Mk.2s will also evolve into what may initially be called "Soryu Aus." The Soryu Aus. would then likely be given a permanent Australian name - possibly an Australian submarine officer or crewman.

In terms of sections the changes from Mk.2 to Soryu Aus will include.

1)  Insertion of double-hull compartment [section 14]

2)  Additional fuel tanks, for longer range, installed outside the pressure hull

3)  Maybe one or two additional diesel generators (perhaps conventional 12V25/25SB) (for the larger Soryu Aus.) installed inside the pressure hull. 

Note that higher power generator system and high capacity LIBs make it possible to shorten the snorting time - improving discretion (and perhaps extending engine life). 

Whether Japan’s newly developed (still Top Secret) diesel generator system will be exported or not is unclear - so it is possible 3 or 4 of the current lower powered Kawasaki 12V25/25SB might be in Soryu Aus. 

4)  There may also be a Vertical Multi-Purpose Lock (VMPL) in one section (perhaps for Tomahawks, Large UUV or stores) [section 14, 13, ? and ??].

Wispywood2344 has also drawn this Soryu Aus. cutaway (same as diagram at top). It is likely that the contents of the submarine will be expanded - spread through the two empty sections. 

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SORYU TABLE (with earlier Oyashios) as at April 19, 2016

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	Feb 1994		Mar 2008	MHI & KHI
16SS Soryu Mark 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	Mar 2013	2 Nov 2015	Mar? 2017	KHI
25SS	8124	SS-509	¥53.1B FY2013	LABs + AIP	22 Oct 2013	Nov? 2016	Mar? 2018	MHI
26SS	8125	SS-510	¥51.7B FY2014	LABs + AIP	2014	?	Mar 2019?	KHI
27SS Soryu Mark 2	8126	SS-511	¥64.3B FY2015	LIBs only	2015	2017?	Mar 2020?	MHI
28SS	8127	SS-512	¥63.6B FY2016	LIBs only	2016?	2018?	Mar 2021?	KHI
29SS	?	?	1st of New Japanese  Class	LIBs only	?	?	2023?	MHI?
Soryu Aus.1	?	?	1st of Aus class (if Japan chosen)	LIBs only	2027?	2030?	2033?	in Aus or Jpn?
Soryu Aus.2  to 12?	?	?	between 5 and 11 additional Aus subs	LIBs only	from 2029?	from 2031?	from 2034?	??

Table courtesy of information provided to Submarine Matters. LABs = lead-acid batteries,  

AIP = air independent propulsion, LIBs = lithium-ion batteries.  

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The Soryu evolution through to Soryu Aus is clearly very complex, but S and Wispywood2344 have done much to make the Japanese submarine evolution known. This may, to an extent, allay fears that Japanese submarines are unknown territory compared to German and French submarines.

Pete