March 14, 2019

AIP & LIBs difference on Japanese Submarines - Table

Following an article of February 28, 2019 Anonymous provided the comments below:


Currently, Japan [J] has three kinds of submarine, Oyashios (non-AIP, with Lead-acid Batteries (LABs)), Soryu MkI (Stirling AIP, with LABs) and is building Soryu MkII (non-AIP, with Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs)) (see Table below). The operational period of J-submarines are as long as 70 days, mainly limited by amount of food [1].


A Soryu MkI's AIP use will end once the LOx is used up. But in a Soryu MkII (with LIBs) there is no such limitation and the underwater mission is carried out after recharge of LIBs in quiet sea area [2]. The operation of an AIP Soryu MkI suffers due to huge 100 (?) ton LOx tank it has to carry for AIP. In contrast the lack of a LOx tank on a LIBs Soryu MkII provides more space for crew accommodation making MkII's more suitable for the mixed male/female crewing that Japan is introducing.

[Comments on SAAB-Damen and ASC-Collins will be published separately on March 15, 2019.] 

[1] The range of J-submarines (maybe 6,000nm) is considerably shorter than the Australian Collins-class (around 10,000nm with longer transit legs within same operational period of 70 days). Presumably, J-subamarines sit, monitoring, on the seafloor for long periods. Hence less mobile J-subs do not need extra fuel.

[2] Information from retired submarine Admiral, Masao Kobayashi.

TABLE.  Japanese Soryu and Oyashio Programs as at November 7, 2019 

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
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
Soryu Mk I
SMC-8
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
KHI
25SS
8124
SS-509
¥53.1B FY2013
LABs + AIP
22 Oct 2013
12 Oct   2016
MHI
26SS
end of SMC-8s
8125
SS-510
LABs + AIP
2014
6 Nov 2017
KHI
27SS First
Soryu Mk II
diesel
first SMC-8B
motor
8126
SS-511
LIBs only
(NCA type)
2015
4 Oct
2018
Mar
2020?
MHI
28SS  Second
Soryu Mk II
SMC-8B
8127
Toryu
SS-512
¥63.6B FY2016
around $496 million
LIBs only
(NCA type)
6 Nov 2019
Mar 2021?
KHI
29SS First Soryu Mk III
SMC-9?
8128
?
¥76B FY2017
LIBs only?
?
?
2022?
MHI?
30SS Second Soryu Mk III
8029
SS-514
¥71.5B or ¥69.7B?
FY2018
LIBs only?
2021?
KHI
Table from information exclusively provided to Submarine MattersLABs = lead-acid batteries, AIP = air independent propulsion, LIBs = Lithium-ion Batteries. ¥***B = Billion Yen. MHI = Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, KHI = Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Numbers before "SS" refer to "Heisei" the year of the reign of Japan's previous Emperor Akihito who abdicated on 30 April 2019. Hence "30SS" refers to the last year (the 30th year) of Akihito's reign. The next year will likely be "1SS" and will likely be called a new submarine class name (ie. not "Soryu").  
---

Thankyou Anonymous (further translation by Pete).

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