Cutaway diagram of most of the future TKMS Type 216. Note there is space for a Vertical Multi Purpose Lock (VMPL) or two behind the sail. There is also the option of a Horizontal Multi Purpose Lock (HMPL) (the thick tube) in the torpedo section. Perhaps Australian assessors rated the Multi Purpose Lock flexibility as a deficiency (Hence The Australian newspaper mentioned "The Australians told [TKMS] the pre-concept design submitted
to Defence at the end of November [2015] was “not balanced” and design
optimisation “was not achieved”). (Cutaway courtesy TKMS)
---
Reading Cameron Stewart’s The Australian, May 30, 2016 article The
sound of silence - Why Germany lost its subs bid it appears:
The Australian Government in a document marked “PROTECTED
— Sensitive”, gave some reasons for the Future Australian Submarine CEP decision
that favoured the DCNS Shortfin proposal. TKMS’s loss was due to:
1. An unacceptably high level of radiated noise’ of the TKMS
Type 216 proposal. This was at a
particular frequency that was very important to the
RAN. This appeared to be while a 216 was
intelligence
collecting close to shore. This meant the 216 had a lower level of stealth.
: Australia assessed the Japanese Soryu for Australia (Soryu Aus) also had less stealth
: Australia assessed the Japanese Soryu for Australia (Soryu Aus) also had less stealth
2. Australia accepted French calculations that the Shortfin
would have a higher tactical silent speed
than the 216 and
Japan’s Soryu Aus.
[Pete's Comment (PC) - A "higher tactical silent speed" could mean dash speed in the operational area as well as transit (with DCNS identifying 14 knots as transit in past statements].
- DCNS has proposed a pumpjet (generally associated with higher silent speed on large submarines)
for the Shortfin. This is instead of propellers fitted on past and current SSKs and all future SSKs
except the Shortfin
[PC Comment - developed pumpjets only come from countries that have developed pumpjets for their own large nuclear submarines. With pumpjets equating to higher silent speeds that excludes Germany and Japan from the higher speeds criterion that Australia seems to have rated very strongly. In the end a pumpjet may not turn out to be viable for the Shortfin's propulsion - then where will Australia be?]
3. "The Australians told [TKMS] the pre-concept design [like the cutaway above] submitted to
Defence at the end of November [2015] was “not balanced” and design optimisation “was not
achieved”.
[PC Comment - Perhaps Australian assessors rated the Multi Purpose Lock flexibility as a deficiency.]
5. Australia was concerned about the difficulty TKMS would have in upscaling its Siemens motors
and existing 2,000 tonne hulls to a 4,000 tonne hull.
and existing 2,000 tonne hulls to a 4,000 tonne hull.
6. Australia was concerned TKMS cost projections were too optimistic and not reflecting technical
challenges.
challenges.
[PC Comment - This begs questions what has DCNS estimated for DCNS hull + and total propulsion conversion and DCNS hull + propulsion + US combat system].
7. Australia was concerned TKMS projections for the extra cost of building the submarines in Australia were too low and unrealistic.
7. Australia was concerned TKMS projections for the extra cost of building the submarines in Australia were too low and unrealistic.
.............................................................................................................................................................
COMMENT THREAD
Additional comments from an Anonymous Donor dated May 31, 2016:
The Australian Government’s behaviour is difficult to
understand. Australia should not have explained the reasons Germany and to a
lesser extent Japan were defeated. The article in The Australian that draws on a Classified Document itself proves that
Australia has an information security system that leaks. Japan, is, in a sense,
lucky it was defeated because Japanese submarine secrets were less exposed to
Australian leaks.
Australia has publicly commented on the alleged noisiness
of the German 216 proposal. How is Germany expected to accept such a
comment?
Germany sells submarines worldwide. Australia tried to
calm Germany, but, the result was the opposite. Germany has, instead, been insulted.
Australia sometimes does not understand that other countries may have different
ideas. Frankly this is a fault in Aussie thinking.
Australia has not mentioned the poor comparative indiscretion
ratio of the DCNS Shortfin as it is limited to Lead-acid Batteries (LABs). In
terms of indiscretion ratios the TKMS 216 may rate the best as it would have Fuel
Cell AIP + LIBs, then the Japanese Soryu Aus with LIBs and then the poorest
discretion with DCNS (no LIBs or AIP, only LABs).
DCNS has the least proven technology. Last year, the French
Navy showed in its home page that its SSNs had sunk half of the US Navy ships
in a NATO exercise. I think that DCNS had definitely over-emphasized this
tremendous (SSN not SSK) result for the benefit of the RAN.
....................................................................................................................................
On June 2, 2016 the Anonymous Donor provided additional comment:
....................................................................................................................................
On June 2, 2016 the Anonymous Donor provided additional comment:
The leakages of classified information of the Future
Submarine CEP are still under investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
But, the article in The Australian
carries yet another leak with serious damage to TKMS’ submarine business. The Australian Government is in a position to show discipline, but, instead it is laughing at the
authority of AFP by pointedly ignoring or violating the law again.
Australian journalists have yet to criticise these
continual leaks, but instead show implicit consent. This situation suggests
another issue, i.e., loss of discipline, which is more serious than the submarine
issue, because loss of the country’s discipline hurts values of society such as
mutual trust, loyalty and common ideals, leading to loss of the country’s
dynamism.
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