Submarine LIBs for India, Australia, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Netherlands, Sweden?

Anonymous has kindly provided comments on November 11, 2018 on foreign interest in Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) for submarine. Supporting information is difficult to find, but information from Anonymous is usually accurate. 

Pete has put the comments into more standard English and added some comments in [...] brackets.

The Indian Navy is seriously considering the introduction of LIBs into its submarines. India is very interested in Lithium Titanate LTO, Super Charge Ion Battery SCiB™ by Toshiba) [1]. India’s very good bilateral relationship with Japan could contribute to technology transfer of LTO/SCiB from Japan to India. If India requests this technology transfer, Japan rejecting such a request may be difficult because Japan already proposed LTO/SCiB for Australia [probably in Australia’s 2016 Future Submarine competition].

In Euronaval 2018 [Paris, October 2018] Germany's TKMS exhibited a LIB Prototype for SSKs such as in its Type 212CD [2] [3]. Details are unknown, but, [Anonymous] can estimate some features of this Prototype. As TKMS co-developed LIBs with SAFT, the Prototype is Lithium Iron Phosphate LFP (voltage 3.2-3.3V, capacity 90-120Wh/kg, cycle life 1000-2000, safest next to LTO). As the LFP Prototype’s intended application is in the TKMS future Type 212CD, the dimensions of the LFP Prototype is the same as the Exide-Technology’s LAB currently used in Type 212As. Presumably, the total energy density of the LFP Prototype in the Type 212CD is 2-3 times higher than the Exide LAB in the Type 212A. This would result in a better indiscretion ratio and higher speed performance in the future 212CD.

Whether LIBs have been proposed for Type 212CD which may respond to Poland’s ORKA future submarine program is unclear. [Pete Comment - The Type 212CD has already been ordered for the German and Norwegian Navies.]

Anonymous believes TKMS will propose a FC-AIP, with LIBs submarine for the Netherland’s Walrus replacement program. This LIBs incentive is because defeat of TKMS in the Walrus replacement competition may be economically very damaging for TKMS. Naval Group will also propose a LIB submarine option for the Walrus replacement.

Unless Sweden’s SAAB proposes LIBs for the Netherland’s Walrus replacement concept, SAAB may find winning the Walrus competition quite difficult. The developmental status of LIBs for SAAB submarines has not yet been reported. SAAB may obtain (SCiB™) LIBs by technology transfer from Japan’s Toshiba. Sweden and Japan are close with SAAB relations with Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) being quite good. [Pete Comment – This may go back to the early 2000s when SAAB negotiated with MoD on the transfer of Stirling AIP technology for Japan's Soryus.] The Administration of Japanese Prime Minister Abe has been moving Japan (which includes 

Toshiba) into the international arms business.

[1] The Indian Navy pointed out the following advantages of SCiB™ LTO LIBs:

i) safety of minimal heat generated from internal shorting,

ii) long 12,000 cycle life,

iii) rapid recharging in 6 minutes,

iv) “instant and high output of large current”,

v) “wide effective SOC (state of charge) range which provides large capacity”, and

vi) low temperature performance which permits operation even at minus 30C.

The Indian Navy said “Japan and India share a lot of common interests as well as the challenge posed by its neighbouring nations. The current government dispensation [Administrations?] at both these countries share friendly relationship and personal bonhomie [warmth] at the leadership levels. “

[see SCiB™ on Toshiba website]

[2] https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/naval-exhibitions/2018/euronaval-2018/6606-euronaval-2018-tkms-showcasing-li-ion-battery-prototype-for-ssk.html 

[3] [See previous Submarine Matters October 25, 2018 article on French Naval Group and German TKMS looking at SAFT Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries.]

Anonymous