See official "Details" about the LOTE.
Following Collins LOTE Part 1: Budgeted. Saab, LM & MTU of April 22, 2024 what replacements and upgrades are needed for the LOTE?
If the 6 Collins were Life of Type Extended ("LOTEed") from 2026 at 2 year intervals the first 2 would probably retire in the 2030s with the remaining 4 soldiering on through to the mid 2040s.
Main items I think worth replacing or upgrading are:
- replacing the Collins’ 3 x Garden Island-Hedemora DIESELS. These are probably no longer in production. They are relatively compact permitting all 3 to sit parallel - saving space. However they are probably unreliable (in the saltier waters of the Indo-Pacific) - so probably need a high level of expensive deep maintenance. The 3 might be replaceable by 2 more powerful Kawasaki 12Ｖ 25/25 SB-type or 2 MTU 4000s submarine diesels (that for more than decade have become highly mature for Indo-Pacific conditions). So, as replacements, 2 x MTU 4000 submarine diesels for each Collins might be reasonable.
- maybe new Generators to replace the 3 × Jeumont-Schneider generators with 2
- strengthening the pressure hulls, as the need for extensive hull cutting to replace/overhaul the Hedemora Diesels has weakened the pressure hulls, reducing safe diving depth.
- many combat system items: ie. photonic aka optronic masts replacing existing periscopes, latest technology work stations, new servers, new hardware and software to torpedo tube launch Australia's new Tomahawk anti-ship and land attack missiles.
- many worn mechanical moving parts and seals need replacing
- electricals that have water damage need replacing, as they can corrode, then fuse, then catch fire.
- Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) perhaps cannot be retrofitted into the Collins. The Collins' balance/buoyancy, electrical and electronic fittings and components have been built specifically around Lead-acid Batteries (LABs).
Timings
I'm not convinced the Virginias will be delivered to Australia in the 2030s as the US will lack enough Virginias even for the USN. See pages 19 to 20 of this CRS Report. US Virginia production might reach "shareable levels" (phrase coined here first) after the US' new Columbia-class SSBNs "are expected to be completed" in 2042.
Even LOTEed Collins will only last till the mid 2040s when their pressure hulls become too metal fatigued due to contraction-expansion cycles.
So Australia may
increasing need to rely on AUKUS Pillar 2 generated Ghost Shark XLUUVs from the
early 2030s to do everything except fire torpedoes and missiles.
Virginias and/or SSN-AUKUS's might be available to the RAN from the mid-late 2040s.
Hi Pete,
ReplyDeleteUnrelated to the topic, but thought I'd apprise you regarding something to do with the wider Indo-Pacific picture:
https://theprint.in/defence/three-indian-navy-ships-deployed-to-south-china-sea/2073770/
It seems deployment to the SCS has now become a routine affair for the Indian Navy instead of the occasional/intermittent deployments seen in years past.
I wonder where they'll go after finishing up in Singapore. I'd bet Philippines is going to be on the itinerary.
Especially considering India has been consistently taking Manila's side on their disputes with China recently:
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/china-asks-india-to-respect-its-claim-over-south-china-sea-after-jaishankar-backs-philippines-sovereignty-2952834
And the Philippines last month has taken delivery of the first batch of BrahMos anti-ship missiles purchased from India:
https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/india-delivers-brahmos-missiles-to-philippines-as-part-of-375-mn-deal-124041900619_1.html
Cheers
@Gessler:
ReplyDeleteReckon the IN will do some drills and port visits with the VPN
Vietnam could become India's biggest client for military gear - they need to upgrade their military equipment and may choose India as a source, rather than Russia (to keep the US happy).
@Peter:
The upper figure of the Collins LOTE budget is equivalent to buying two new Orka/Barracuda class boats (I make this a deliberate comparison), and the figures bandied about may suggest a major refit program to get the Collins to 2040.
In comparison, the last Gotland, the Halland, is getting a $116 million MLU to take it to 2040 as well.
Lithium Ion submarine batteries are designed to replace Lead Acid Batteries, with some modification. If the Collins is undergoing a complete replacement of its propulsion systems, it would make sense to swap everything.
https://www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com/en/teaser/the-submarine-revolution--lithium-ion-battery-system-for-a-better-performance
I fully believe LIBs will replace all LABs in submarines, with existing LAB-equipped boats swapping over during their refits, even nuke boats.. at least until Silicon Anode batteries mature https://spectrum.ieee.org/silicon-anode-battery
Hi Gessler at 5/08/2024 4:51 PM
ReplyDeleteThanks for a well documented comment. https://theprint.in/defence/three-indian-navy-ships-deployed-to-south-china-sea/2073770/ is especially useful and may form a good basis for an article. Also very significant India has sold BrahMos missiles to the Philippines as a shore launched anti-ship missiles.
To that end I've sent you an invite to your gmail account to be a SubMatts author.
Cheers Pete
Hi Shawn at 5/09/2024 3:25 AM
ReplyDelete1. Yes, if the Collins LOTE actually occurs Australia will prove yet again, it is the world's most inefficient submarine builder. Australia's woefully inefficient ASC will rebuild (LOTE) each Collins sub for more than the cost of buying 2 new, top of the line KSS-IIIs, Taigeis or TKMS 212CD Extended Range.
2. My doubts that LIBs can be retrofitted in place of Lead-acid Batteries in existing sub have been somewhat allayed by the link you've provided https://www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com/en/teaser/the-submarine-revolution--lithium-ion-battery-system-for-a-better-performance . In that link TKMS reckon they can retrofit, with:
"The lithium-ion batteries are designed so that they can be installed in any submarine with slight technical adaptations and thus directly replace the lead-acid battery. After the new battery has passed the type test, the next step is the contract with a customer to finally install the system onboard and benefit from its advantages."
Though we are yet to see if that is technically practical and economical.
Interesting that it is the largest SSK-only countries (namely Japan, South Korea and Germany(maybe)) that have been first to develop LIBs for submarine. Part reason being they don't need to divert any of their submarine spending into nuclear subs).
3. Thanks also for https://spectrum.ieee.org/silicon-anode-battery . My next car in about 8 years time may be a Silicon Anode EV - possibly when I am able to move back to Canberra (if I make peace with the security types there :)
Regards Pete