Norway's 4 Possible 212CDs Await Content Agreement

/Kjell kindly provided comments on Feb 27, 2021 concerning the four TKMS Type 212CD submarines Norway MAY buy from TKMS.

/Kjell's comments are supported by this Norwegian link dated Sep 11, 2018, which is easily (right-click mouse) translated. 

Norway and TKMS signed an MoU for the Type 212CD subs in February 2017.  See mentions of Norway 212CD here .

But in this 212CD project Norway wants to avoid the low industrial content level it suffered in Norway's purchase of six TKMS Type 210 Ula submarines in the 1980s. Type 210s are a specialised design only ever exported to Norway.  

Within a more than US$5 Billion Norwegian Type 212CD purchase Norway wants a Norwegian industrial content (aka "cooperation") of around 75%. This is equivalent to more than US$3.5 Billion. 

Norway is waiting for TKMS to settle on the 75% content/cooperation. 75% likely includes  a Norwegian designed combat system [eg. weapons, sensors, computer terminals-data storage]. In April 2020 Norway rejected a third TKMS offer. 

As at February 2021 a formal Norway-TKMS contract (more binding than an MoU) had not been  signed. 

After the contract is signed it will still take 8 years to deliver the first 212CD to Norway. So Norway may need a life extension for its six Type 210s. [Pete suspects one of those 210s may need to be decommissioned and then cannibalized for spare parts].

Italy Signs Deal For AIP & Lithium-ion Battery 212 NFS Sub.

On Jan 3, 2021 SubMatts' reported. Now in a very clear article Defense Brief, Feb 26, 2021, with an update, reports:

"Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced on February 26 [2021] the signing of a 1.35 billion euro deal for the delivery of the first two U212 NFS (Near Future Submarines) to the Italian Navy.

Type U212 NFS is an evolution of the first four Type 212A air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarines that were delivered in cooperation with Germany’s thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) between 2006 and 2017.

Germany is also operating six units of the same class.

The contract for the first two [planned 212 NFS] was signed with OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation en matiere d’Armement, the international organization for joint armament cooperation).

While the [212 NFS] will be delivered by Fincantieri as prime contractor, TKMS will also be involved in the construction, delivering parts from its Kiel shipyard. More specifically, TKMS will build the bow sections of the boats, fuel cell systems, and other small components.

According to Fincantieri, the first two [212 NFS] are scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2029, in time to replace the four Sauro-class submarines whose operational operational lifetime is coming to a close after 40 years of operation.

According to unofficial reports, the [212 NFS] will be slightly longer than [Italy's] 55.9-meter-long Type 212A boats Todaro, Sciré, Romeo Romei and Pietro Venuti. The increased length will provide space for additional fuel cells for extra range and additional space for new electronic warfare systems.

The [212 NFS] are also set to incorporate more technology from the Italian defense industry [especially unique Italian Lithium-ion batteries]. Italian defense technology company has been awarded a 150 million euro contract to provide a new combat management system (CMS) for the two boats. In addition to the CMS, Leonardo will also provide a simulation and training laboratory at the Italian Navy’s Submarine Centre in Taranto and a package of logistic support including staff training and a set of spare parts...

“We are going to take a real technological leap forward compared to the submarines of the previous class, starting with the design and the combat system developed along with Leonardo, which we are in charge of integrating on-board,” Fincantieri CEO, Giuseppe Bono, commented.

“This will allow Italy to continue being a main actor among the limited group of countries that can build such advanced units.”

SEE WHOLE DEFENSE BRIEF ARTICLE

Election Winning Sub Deals: Japan Delay or French SSN?

Following this article and in response to my friend GhalibKabir’s interesting comment I comment:

Over concerns about the level of Australian content in French Naval Group's Attack-class submarine project the Morrison Government's negotiations with Naval Group Chairman and CEO, Pierre Eric Pommellet, are largely window dressing. Determining "what is Australian content" is more a public relations art than a logistical science.

Back in 2016, and to win that year's Federal Election, the Turnbull Government prematurely chose a future submarine builder (Naval Group) as a sweetener to win one or two critical South Australia seats. Those seats actually won Turnbull the election and South Australians continue to rejoice in having the $10 Billions new submarine construction contract in their state. The higher the cost of a defence project the more political it is - vested interests and all.

But the Turnbull Government's choice happened so quickly that the contractual basis was largely open ended in Naval Group's favour. Now all Australian taxpayers are living with that reality today in terms of an open ended, rising, project price. 

In late February 2021 it is unlikely the Morrison Government would take the risky domestic political step of ending the Naval Group contract. But there is hope. South Australia remains hypersensitive to threats to its main manufacturing money earner, the submarine contract. 

Morrison is now acutely vulnerable because in mid February 2021 Federal Member of Parliament Craig Kelly put serious pressure on the Coalition after leaving for the crossbench. This means Morrison’s Coalition government only needs to lose one seat in South Australia (in a possible October 2021 Election) for Federal Labor to win Government.

Also Defence Minister Linda Reynolds is already under major political pressure over the alleged rape of a female staff member.

Regarding Japan or Saab as possible submarine building alternatives to Naval Group:

Japan would probably offer the cheapest build in South Australia but we would still be talking actual commissioning in the 2030s. 

In 2016, China overall was in Australia's good books, as Australia's major trade partner, with the strategic threat China posed far secondary.  Australian academics and policymakers were concerned Japan expected too much of a major submarine deal adding up to a closer strategic alliance between Japan and Australia. China being the major threat to Japanese and Australian allies.

Now in 2021 China is recognised as the major regional threat. If a submarine deal strengthened the (Australia, Japan, US, India) Quad that would be a good thing. The new Biden administration can do much to persuade Japan to leave its no-big-foreign-arms-deal-experience comfort zone and again think seriously of helping Australia build a variant of the latest Japanese sub (now the Taigei class).

Meanwhile Sweden's Saab-Kockums has yet to prove (after a 20 year hiatus) that it can turn out new subs efficiently. Saab's A26 Blekinge class has still not been launched even for Saab’s own Swedish Navy. The last new subs Kockums built were the unpopular Collins (HMAS Rankin launched 2001). Also there is the RAN's, Australian politicians' and the publics’ bad memory of numerous Kockums technical, cost and attitudinal problems in the building of the Collins (eg. the defective diesels are still in the Collins and still limit its performance). Furthermore Sweden was not even in the future submarine 2016 shortlist (which consisted of France, Germany and Japan).

Morrison could talk to Japan (which is hurting financially because of the de facto cancelled Olympics) in order to reignite sub-builders KHI and MHI enthusiasm for an Australian sub deal. Although it would take about 7 years for Japan to design an especially large, long enough range,  Australian submarine. Prime Minister Morrison would need to be brave to indicate to South Australia that Japan could be a viable alternative to Naval Group. 
_____________

Naval Group's Barracuda/Suffren class SSN is a better answer:

This Naval Group submarine design is ready now - no 10 year development delay. A nuclear propelled attack sub (SSN) most directly answers Australia's long distance/fast transit mission needs and is truely "regionally superior".

Many nuclear proliferation concerns can be countered that unlike US and UK SSNs, that use weapons grade HEU in their submarine reactors, the French SSN uses more legally and politically permissable LEU.  

South Australian voters can be assured that Australia is still sticking with a Naval Group submarine build in South Australia - main difference is that its a nuclear propelled submarine.

See influential conservative Australian commentator Peta Credlin explaining the SSN case. Although in contrast to her UK or US SSN suggestion I'd argue the French SSN is a more viable buy. This is in many respects, including the French SSN is smaller implicitly cheaper, needs a far smaller crew, has a low proliferation reactor, and France has a better record selling sensitive nuclear gear than the US or UK.

It would be better not to combine hence conflate the highly specialised French SSN reactors issue (these would be refueled in France) with the perpetually too-hard-basket issue of land based nuclear energy reactors in Australia.

Repeated public enquiries in Australia have indicated the public are against land energy reactors - making land reactors a scorching hot political potato that may take decades to resolve in favour of.

Naval Group Criticized in Australian Parliament

Backing up Pete's Feb 22, 2019 article. On Feb 23 Australia’s Defence Minister, Linda Reynolds told Parliament she is annoyed with the slow progress of negotiations with the French. Linda is referring to the troubled Attack class program in which French government owned Naval Group is being paid many $Billions.

If the Dutch are contemplating choosing Naval Group for the Netherlands' future submarine, this may be risky. Naval Group may not be the money saver expected. Naval Group may be able to make a low contract winning bid, because this being is cross-subsidized by Australia's foolishly extravagant Attack class order. 

But the Dutch will also have to contend with Naval Group’s natural focus on its major French national priority - developing France’s future SSBN. Naval Group has also yet to complete “Full Operating Capability” of France’s new SSN. 

ARTICLE

Andrew Greene, Defence Correspondent, for Australia’s government owned ABC News, Feb 24, 2021, reports (Pete is just displaying part of the submarine content):

“Government frustrations and concerns grow over Australia's multi-billion-dollar submarine...”

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has expressed "frustration" and "disappointment" with the French company building Australia's $90 billion future submarines as she prepares to confront its visiting global boss over crucial contract negotiations.

A year after Naval Group pledged to spend 60 per cent of the massive contract value on local suppliers, the company is yet to enshrine the figure in a formal deal with the Commonwealth...

Sources have said Prime Minister Scott Morrison has become increasingly worried in recent months about Defence's ability to deliver the massive projects and has relayed his concerns directly to the Department's National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise team.

Ahead of her meeting with Naval Group, Senator Reynolds has told Parliament she is annoyed with the slow progress of the negotiations with the French.

On [Feb 24, 2021], Naval Group's global chief executive, Pierre Eric Pommellet, is expected to meet with Senator Reynolds in Canberra after flying into Adelaide where he completed a mandatory two-week quarantine stint.

"I am frustrated and I'm very disappointed that Naval Group have yet been able to finalise this contract with Defence, but it will not be done at the expense of Australian jobs, and Australian industry," Senator Reynolds said on Tuesday.

"This capability is far too important for our nation to do that."

The ABC understands the Commonwealth is insisting on annual audits of Australian Industry Content (AIC) in the project to construct 12 Attack Class submarines, but the French are so far resisting....”

French Ships to SCS: Pushback to China.

France has been sending navy ships to the contested South China Sea (SCS) and East China Seas as a pushback against China and also against North Korean smuggling. This comes amid France's moves to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific to back US President  Biden's call for a multilateral response to China's assertiveness.

French missions in the Pacific, from November 2020 to February 2021, included the (NATO designation French Ship (FS)) Emeraude (a Rubis-class SSN) and its support ship FS Seine. 

Also Pacific based (homeport Tahiti) Floreal-class frigate FS Prairial will patrol the East China Sea from March 2021, against ship-to-ship smuggling involving North Korea. 

The amphibious warfare LHD Tonnerre is in the middle. Stealth frigate Surcouf (with its smooth radar deflecting sides) is on Tonnerre's bow. In the foreground is a Greek Navy Hydra-class frigate
Spetsai (F-453). (Photo courtesy French Navy via India's RepublicWorld.)
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From February 2021 to early July 2021 the French Mistral-class LHD FS Tonnerre and the stealthy La Fayette-class frigate FS Surcouf will patrol the SCS. 

[As an aside, the frigate Surcouf has been a luckier ship than the doomed heavy artillery submarine Surcouf of WWII.] 

Along the way Tonnerre and Surcouf will exercise with the Indian, Australian, Japanese and US navies in support of the Quad security dialogue.

JS Tonnerre and Surcouf are now traveling from France, through the Suez Canal, Indian Ocean, to the Pacific. On the way they will visit Egypt, Djibouti, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Japan, before returning to France in July 2021. 

France's new SSBN: Making Attack-class 2nd or 3rd Priority.

The above video was placed by Naval Group International on its new SSBN program website dated February 19/20, 2021.
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Naval Group is proving itself an industrial miracle in simultaneously running its new SSBN "SNLE 3G" Program alongside its (over-budget, missed deadlines) Australian Attack-class SSK Program. Also see this new French SSBN reference.

Developing the almost totally new Attack-class is a major and difficult activity for Naval Group. This would ordinarily dominate Naval Group's submarine design effort for the next ten years. The Attack-class may share a common hull shape with the Barracuda-Suffren class SSN but that is all.  The Attack Program is also totally different from Naval Group turning out the near MOTS Scorpene-class subs that it has launched since 2003. So it is difficult for Naval Group to be involved with the development of the Attack-class and the future SSBN simultaneously. 

Naval Group can claim the Attack-class launch-of-sub timings place Attack SSK  before France's new SSBN. But each program lasts 15 years from initial contracts to commission of subs.

The Attack-class's 15 years extend from 2016 to 2031. France's new SSBN's timings extend from 2021 to 2036. That means there is a 10 year overlap (of limited French management, designer and worker resources) between the years 2021 and 2031. 

The statement accompanying Naval Group's February 20, 2021 video, when translated into English: 

"The [French] Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly will officially launch the realization of the [France’s new SSBN Program]. A major program for Naval Group, a benchmark industrial partner in the service of French sovereignty. This new generation of SSBN will meet the operational needs of the French deterrence posture from 2030 to 2090. The operational commissioning of the 1st submarine is scheduled for 2035, that of the other 3 at the rate of one every 5 years.

[Pierre Éric Pommellet Chairman and CEO of Naval Group said] “Naval Group is very proud to put its skills, talents and industrial resources at the service of France's dissuasion mission. The whole company will mobilize with its partners to carry out this exceptional project. [France’s new SSBN Program] remains one of the most complex industrial products ever made. Its design and construction require rare know-how, unique industrial resources and the ability to unite 200 partner companies. Our unique positioning as a systems integrator architect allows us to: commit to the overall performance of the vessels assume overall responsibility for their construction guarantee control of quality, deadlines and costs.”"

As Naval Group is French Government owned "62.25% by the French State” limited French management, designer and worker resources will prioritize the new French SSBN "dedicated to France's sovereignty" over Australia's Attack-class SSK.  

Readers should note SSBNs are always the highest priority weapon of the large nuclear weapon states that can afford SSBNs.

Counterintuitively Naval Group can continue to claim the Attack-class program is not second priority. Or not even third priority - when one considers Naval Group needs to make the Barracuda-Suffren class SSN operational. That SSN was commissioned on November 6, 2020 but "Full Operating Capability" is a hurdle Suffren has not yet  achieved. 

Completion of France's new SSBN Program on time, on budget, is reportedly part of France's 2019-2025 Military Plan Law. Does such a law apply to completion of Australia's Attack-class SSK, on time, on budget?

S-80 Plus an Orphan Sub

Following this article Locum provided interesting comments on February 9, 2021, to which I respond:

On Spain's/Navantia’s S-80 Plus. (4 being built for the Spanish Navy)

Hi Locum

I assume you are saying the Dutch knocked back the S-80 Plus “in December 2019.” on cost grounds. Also the major displacement/buoyancy error of the original S-80 would have worried the Dutch.

Australia had/has good relations with Navantia during the Hobart-class and Canberra-class builds, but Navantia's grievous error in the original S-80 design was unacceptable for Australia. In that regard keyword “S-80” came up often in anonymous Australian searches - up to 2013. It seemed the usefully large S-80 design was a strong possibility to be shortlisted by Australia – but by then Spain’s dreaded buoyancy mistake was discovered . 

Root of the Buoyancy Problem

In addition to your “original S-80 there was no spare room for drones or extra SOF / commando's, over the standard 8 SOF operators.” There were other Combat System weights (eg. torpedos, tubes, missiles, servers and workstations). These essential weights were not factored in by Spain when Spain did its buoyancy calculations.

I’ve said somewhere that Spain had never fully developed and launched a sub in Modern times without major French help. Probably it was this Spanish inexperience that resulted in the failed S-80 design.

Now since 2019

The Dutch would have noticed that the S-80 Plus design for the Spanish Navy, "3,200 tonnes (surfaced) and 3,426 tonnes (submerged)" see right side bar, has little reserve buoyancy and is too heavy for the Dutch Navy overall.

As you point out, an additional problem is the S-80 Plus “engine room is too cramped for...3 MTU 396s” that the Dutch Navy probably wants. Although I'd say the Dutch economic ministries may be happy with only 2 diesels in much cheaper MOTS European designs.

Like the Australian Collins and now Attack classes, the Spanish have created an extremely expensive orphan submarine class in the S-80 Plus. 

Collins, Attack and S-80 Plus are only attractive to their builder shipyards-navies with no export prospects to amortize individual sub and project cost burdens. Any Australian hopes that the Dutch would look to Australian Attack class builders will pan out to be the Dutch going to Naval Group directly.

Woman Soon on Operational Japanese Submarines

Woman have been on some European submarines since the 1980s, on Australian from 1999 and the US subs since 2011 (see). It is the Japanese Navy that will be the first Asian navy to deploy women on an Operational submarine - probably in 2022.

Following the “Women Good on Subs” article Anonymous provided very interesting comments and links on February 17, 2021 (8:43AM and 12:40PM) on women soon to be on operational Japanese submarines.

On January 22, 2020, the first female Naval Officer (above) joined the Submarine Training Center (STC) at Japanese Navy Base Kure (Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture)(Photo courtesy Japanese Navy - see Japanese Navy document STC48). As a submarine officer takes longer to train than Petty Officers or Seamen (below) she may still be in training for an extra year until JS Taigei (below) is ready.

(Group photo of 4 female Petty Officers. Photo courtesy Japanese Navy. See individual photos by scrolling down at STC48)

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Then, on February 26, 2020, four female Petty Officers (above) and one female leading seaman joined STC for training. See Petty Officer rank insignia here.

ASAHI SHIMBUN reported that on October 29, 2020 training of the 4 female Petty Officers and one female leading seaman in training submarine JS Michishio (TSS-3609) finished, ie. they won their Dolphins (see photo) at Japanese Navy Base Kure. 

Their joining an operational submarine has been postponed because the current Oyashio and Soryu class submarines are too small “to maintain privacy, but the Ministry of Defense lifted gender restrictions in 2018.”

JS Taigei (29SS), of the new Taigei-class, will be the first Operational Japanese submarine with the necessary larger size and fitout facilities (sleeping room/shower section) for women (see Japanese Navy document).

PETE COMMENT

To meet Taigei’s commissioning objective “around March 2022” Taigei might be handed over to the Japanese Navy for working-up testing and training later this year (2021). So the first 5 female submariners may join Taigei later this year and may then be on Taigei when it becomes operational in 2022.

I’m guessing South Korea's or Singapore's Navy may be the next navy in Asia to deploy woman on subs.

Anonymous and Pete

"Vaccine Nationalism" A Complex Matter.

The New Yort Times (NYT) reported February 11, 2021

"NEW DELHI — India, the unmatched vaccine manufacturing power, is giving away millions of doses to neighbors friendly and estranged. It is trying to counter China, which has made doling out shots a central plank of its foreign relations. And the United Arab Emirates, drawing on its oil riches, is buying jabs on behalf of its allies..."

yet

NYT earlier reported December 15, 2020:

"The U.S., Britain, Canada and others are hedging their bets, reserving doses that far outnumber their populations, as many poorer nations struggle to secure enough.

As a growing number of coronavirus vaccines advance through clinical trials, wealthy countries are fueling an extraordinary gap in access around the world, laying claim to more than half the doses that could come on the market by the end of [2021]."
_________________________

A. What is to be done? 

B.  Is the World Health Organisation or some other entity, up to sorting things out?

Saab Offering 2 Types of Sub to the Dutch: L/D Ratios.

Following this article Locum on February 9 has provided some interesting comments which have prompted Pete to look into L/D ratios: a pretty complex, controversial topic.

Length of a submarine / Diameter of a sub = (L/D) ratio, a key measure. A L/D ratio of 7.0 may be good for a coastal (littoral brown water) submarine. A submarine with good oceanic (blue water) qualities ideally has a ratio around 10 up to 11.5. 

The Netherlands Navy and Defense Ministry want, a largish, around 2,900 tonne, tailor-made sub. But this is expensive. Such a sub would have range longer than 10,000nm miles at 10kn cruising speed for the shortest possible transit time. This would be good for missions from the Netherlands to the Dutch Caribbean (monitoring and/or special forces) or Netherlands through Mediterranean to the Middle East (electronic and ASW monitoring).

A lot of people, even some Dutch politicians, think that a Saab-Kockums A26 Oceanic Extended Range concept is the best contender for the Walrus replacement.

A. Saab-Kockums may be offering the Netherlands two designs. That is:

-  A26 Oceanic of 65m/ (maybe) 6.75m 2,000 tonnes (surfaced), 6,500nm at 10kn sub yielding a L/D ratio of 9.63. Its very close to standard Blekinge A26 dimensions. This makes it cheaper, hence of the type most of the (non-Navy/non-Defense Ministry) economic ministries want.

OR

- A26 Oceanic (Extended Range) An 80m long (diameter unknown lets say 7.8m) L/D of 10.26 3,000 tonne (surfaced) 10,000nm at 10kn. Around 3,300 tonnes (submerged). Greater weight alone makes it a more expensive choice, however its dimensions are similar to Kockums operational Collins sub. Its around the dimensions the Netherlands Navy wants. But that navy can then shoot lower, to 2,700 tonnes, and thus appear conciliatory.

B. Naval Group is offering versions of the Barracuda and Scorpene [Dimensions, hence L/D unknown, being kept Secret.]

C. TKMS is offering the Type 212CD E. [Dimensions, hence L/D unknown, being kept Secret?]

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Navantia was offering the S-80 Plus. [Though note “Navantia was not accepted as a bidder.” by the Netherlands’ future submarine selection panel.]

Drawing illustrates a submarine's L/D ratio, wherein Diameter (D) of Hull is a proportion of Length (L) of Hull. In this example L/D ratio is quite good 8.75 (where L = 8.75 D). See upper right corner of Drawing. (Drawing courtesy Google Images which Google located from this source).
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L/D ratio imposes hydrodynamic efficiency, but this ratio is also governed by the type of missions a particular nation's submarines performs.

Low L/D allows rapid turns (to clear the baffles) and rapid tactical changes in direction (good for dodging other subs, ship’s hulls and even torpedos). Low L/D also allows for easier steering around rocks and narrows and a more compact shape to fit in seafloor "holes" (eg. in the Mediterranean or Baltic Seas).

A higher ratio makes for more efficient oceanic-blue water travel (surfaced, snorting of fully submerged).

USN Bullet/Fire/Cold Sea Proof Survival Suits For Aircrew

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/02/17/us-navy-seeks-better-bulletproof-survival-suits/?sh=2ff332051ecf

Women Good on Subs: USN, "Viking", German, Australian.

Despite constant discipline problems on UK Royal Navy (RN) subs (not necessarally involving women) on: April 8, 2011,  October 3, 2017,  October 9, 2017,  November 2, 2020  and February 9, 2021.

The RN can look to the success of woman submariners in other navies. See some below:

____________________________

1. "Viking" navies

1a. Norwegian Navy 

The Norwegian Navy was the world’s first Navy to allow women in submarines, in 1985. It was/is also the first navy to have had a female Submarine Commander, Captain Solveig Krey (below) in 1995 in KNM Kobben. 

________________________

1b. Swedish Navy

/Kjell has pointed to this reference indicating Commander Paula Wallenburg (above)  captained HSwMS Södermanland from 2010. Paula enlisted as a sonar operator on a submarine in 1995. 

Reported from a Swedish source 2008 female crew members on Swedish submarines work under the same conditions as men.

In the early 2000s the then Lt. Commander Paula Wallenburg served as an officer on attack sub HSwMS Gotland. 

She was also attached as an observer on US attack sub USS Jefferson City (SSN-759). There she found some US crew uncomfortable with a woman on-board.

“Things got better as time went on. They usually do." says Wallenburg.

______________________

2.  German Navy

Women have been on German submarines since 2004. As recorded in SubMatt's article of August 11, 2015 Submarine Officer Janine Asseln (above and video below) was an Officer of the Watch 2013-2015 and maybe still in the service. The German U-Boat service was the most effective submarine service boat-for-boat from 1914 and perhaps today? 

Aboard the small Type 212A sub Officer Asseln sleeps in the same room as the male officers - who respect her privacy and also know her boyfriend is a huge bloke from the German Special Forces.

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Separately MHalblaub has located the longer, English commentary, Feb 2020 video (above) of Germany's U32, a 212A, operating, with at least 2 woman in the crew.

-  At 5:20 see female Marine Engineer Officer, Wiebke Ludwig, in charge of the engine room. Wiebke is in the Control Room at 18:33-18:48, 19:28,
-  19:30 female Seaperson or Petty Officer? sonar operator? seated;
    26:33 - 27:08 now standing emergency drill backup medic,  
-  30:18 Seaperson and Officer Ludwig standing: also 31:25 Ludwig part of surfacing drill.

______________________________

3.  Australian Navy

2019 marked the 20th year of women in Australian submarines. 

20 years ago, former Able Seaman Communication and Information Systems Submariner Rachel Irving became Australia's first female submariner when she was awarded her ‘Dolphins’ on 30 June 1999.

Most people serving in today's Submarine Force wouldn't remember submarines without female submariners. Over the past 20 years, women have served below the surface as officers and sailors across the spectrum of submarine employment categories. 

The Australian Navy in 1998 was the first non-Scandinavian country to allow women to serve aboard their submarines.   

The Australian Navy started off by focusing on gender diversity and doing things that now seem dated, but were actually quite challenging for the Navy of the day.

Former and current female submariners together in the junior sailor's cafe on board HMAS Sheean to celebrate the 20th anniversary of women in Australian submarines, at Fleet Base West, HMAS Stirling, Western Australia. Pete suspects the tall bald one at the back, with a beard, isn't a woman :)

________________________

4.  US Navy

Lt. Krisandra Hardy, an Enlisted Women in Submarines (EWIS) and Lt. Marquette Leveque, an EWIS coordinator, speak to enlisted female sailors at Naval Station Mayport.
(Photo courtesy US Navy via Military.com).
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Julia Bergman, Military.com reports September 26, 2020: 

"One of First Females to Join the Silent Service: 'I'm Excited to See the Day When Women Being on Submarines is Not a Surprise to People.'

"...Female officers like [Jeanne] Van Gilder, a lieutenant commander assigned to the fast attack submarine USS Minnesota based in Groton, have served aboard submarines since 2011. Enlisted women began their training in 2015 and started reporting to submarines a year later.

Previously, the Navy had dedicated windows for female sailors to apply to convert their careers into submarine ratings. Now, new volunteers are able to apply on a continuous basis, just like men. Starting in 2021, Virginia-class attack submarines will have "gender neutral accommodations," separate chiefs' quarters and berthing for men and women.

Currently, 335 women -- 97 officers and 238 enlisted sailors -- are serving on [USN] submarines, making up about 5% of the silent service.

"We're still a small percentage. There's not that many of us, so we're kind of our own little club," Van Gilder said, adding that the integration of women aboard submarines has gone "extremely well."

When she reported to the guided missile submarine USS Florida based in Kings Bay, Ga., "I was old news," Van Gilder said. Women already had been serving on the boat for a few years. "It was the norm," she said.

She was among the first group of female officers who helped serve as mentors to the enlisted women as they reported to submarines already integrated, helping them to adjust to life in a steel tube under the water, and providing advice to senior male officers who may not have served with females before.

"I definitely feel a responsibility to prove all the naysayers wrong," Van Gilder said. "That doesn't necessarily change the way I act. I'm going to act in a professional manner and I want to do my job well for me, but I'm certainly aware of the specific spotlight on myself and other women in the Navy to prove the naysayers are wrong."

By all accounts, the transition has gone smoothly with a few exceptions. A dozen male sailors were prosecuted in 2015 for secretly videotaping female officers and trainees as they undressed on board the ballistic missile submarine USS Wyoming. And in May of last year, Navy leaders fired Capt. Gregory R. Kercher, commanding officer of Florida's "Gold Crew," for failing to fully investigate a sexually explicit list targeting female crewmembers.

Those incidents appear not to have impacted retention. An analysis by the Associated Press in 2018 found that the retention rate [after 5 years initial enlistment?] for female submariners was on par with that of their male counterparts -- about 26% and 27%, respectively. And numbers provided by the Navy for this article show that trend has continued.

In June 2020, Van Gilder reported to the Minnesota as the boat's engineering officer, a job that involves overseeing the maintenance and operation of the nuclear reactor on board, and leading the 50 to 60 sailors -- a little more than one-third of the crew -- who are assigned to the engineering department.

Looking ahead, she said, "I'm excited to see the day when women being on submarines is not a surprise to people.""

Composites Essential for TKMS & SAAB Subs

Composites are essential for submarines due to their non-magnetic nature, light weight, ease of shaping and many other benefits (below). Lightweight makes for a lower displacement, not top heavy with less contervailing need for ballast. Composites are easier than steel to shape. 

So a submarine making company skilled in composites has economic-sales advantages over  one that has a greater percentage of steel in its sub.

Following this composites article Anonymous's February 8, 2021 comments led to the following:

1.  TKMS uses SIEMENS composite materials technology:

Composite materials are seaworthy and offer many benefits. First, they stand up well to the harsh and salty marine environment, resisting any corrosion while possessing much better aging capabilities than metals. Composites also provide the ability to “design the material” by combining fibers and resins in different ways and by placing the fibers along preferred orientations following loading and stress paths, thus reducing the weight-tostrength and weight-to-stiffness ratios.

Further, composites facilitate the manufacture of seamless, complex shapes for better hydrodynamic performance and stealth characteristics. Composites can be more easily draped over round surfaces while sheet metals cannot. They also enable part consolidation and part count reduction using resin transfer molding or co-curing of large assemblies at once, without the need for riveting or joining small parts together, thus reducing manufacturing cycle times and costs.

Composites also offer some valuable mechanical properties, including better fatigue resistance and less sensitivity to crack propagation than aluminium and other metals; enhanced acoustic transparency for improved sonar transmission (for instance, in the bow dome); and reduced lifetime and maintenance costs compared to metallic structures.

This photo shows the dividing line between where composites (top) and metal (the hull) have been used on this class 212 submarine. Oddly in the photo the red, white and blue bunting does not suggest it is a 212 for the German Navy or a 212-Todaro for Italy.  TKMS/HDW is using Fibersim to design and manufacture the complete upper deck, keel covers, tower sail fairings, propeller blades and rudders. (Photo courtesy SIEMENS.)
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HDW [part of TKMS] is using Fibersim to design and manufacture a variety of glass fiber and carbon fiber outfitting parts...TKMS is using Fibersim to design and manufacture the complete upper deck, keel covers, tower sail fairings, propeller blades and rudders. “Fibersim takes a lot of the worry out of the process by enabling us to capture many more details of the final composite layups...” complete upper deck, keel covers, tower sail fairings, propeller blades and rudders. In the near future, TKMS expects to extend the use of Fibersim to include the design of structural parts, starting with a new, lighter weight storage rack for torpedoes.

“Fibersim enables us to do a faster conversion from metal to composites, and minimizes the risk by verifying information before it ever gets to the manufacturing floor”.
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2.  SAAB may have its own composite material section.

[Pete comment - although SAAB buying GKN Aerospace’s Applied Composites AB Business may be more SAAB-aircraft oriented than marine.

SAAB certainly has an extensive marine composites capability, as seen in the Visby corvettes. a capability which would extend to the A26 submarines.]

Maybe SAAB and Naval Group could send comments with some details of their submarine composites?
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3.  ADifferent types of composites include:

-  Glass/carbon fiber reinforced plastic/polymer (GFRP/CFRP) and

-  Fiber reinforced metal (FRM) Metal matrix composite (MMC) for pressure hulls seems to be difficult.
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PETE COMMENT

The percentage (by weight) of composites in submarines is likely to increase across submarine makers and their country customers. 

Composites in pressure hulls (hitherto Steel or Titanium monopolies) may be possible in the future.