Chinese(?) UUVs Also Found Near Malacca Strait & Sunda Islands

India Today, on Jan 9, 2021 carries the Map Below on 3 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) sightings/captures. 

Looking at the Map is: 

UUV 1. - In March 2019, a UUV was found North of Singapore and East of Malaysia on the approaches to the Strait of Malacca.
 

UUV 2. - The next UUV was found on January 2020 near the Sunda Islands in the central Indonesian Archipelago, and 

UUV 3. - The much reported UUV capture near Selayar Island, Indonesia, was on December 20, 2020. 

MAP showing locations of the 3 Chinese(?) or other country's UUVs. (Map courtesy OSINT and Google Earth).
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COMMENT

Most news agencies, and even specialist websites, have provided very geographically incorrect/ignorant and alarmist reports on the multiple UUV sightings. Such UUVs may not necessarily be of Chinese origin. 

Probably the most helpful source is the map above.

Submariners on Ice Advised to take along Slow Crewman

StrategyPage, January 7, 2021 carries this Travel Advice for Russian Submariners. See article here.

“In late 2020 a Russian nuclear submarine had a bear problem. A brown bear and her cub swam up to the sub, which was docked at the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula [Rybachiy Nuclear Submarine Base] on the Pacific coast. Fearing the bears might stay awhile the sub commander called for a bear hunter who arrived with a shotgun that could kill the bear and not harm the hull, as a high-velocity rifle bullet would. First the cub was shot and fell off the sub. The mother, who looked ill and emaciated, did not follow and was shot dead as well.

What was interesting about this incident was that it was not unusual. There are over 10,000 brown bears in Kamchatka and not many people outside the naval base. Hunters are called out to kill bears who wander into or near the base or any other settlement and during 2020 at least fifty of them were killed. The bears are largely vegetarian but will kill and consume humans if they feel threatened, or very hungry.”

COMMENT

Polar bears may be even more dangerous. US submarines, coming from a frequent gun owning society, can be counted on to pack assault rifles to despatch bears that try to attack submariners.

But Russian or Chinese submariner icepack pedestrians may not be so “lucky”. Russian or Chinese submarine officers are advised to travel on the ice with a slow junior crewman they can outrun. Polar bears are, after all, carnivorous non-respecters of rank.

Three Polar bears approach the bow of Los Angeles-class submarine
USS Honolulu (SSN 718) surfaced 280 miles from the North Pole. The bears checked out the boat for almost 2 hours before leaving. No animals were harmed during the making of this picture. (Photo courtesy US Navy via Wikipedia.)
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TKMS Marketing Type 212CD E to the Netherlands

Anonymous has identified the future Type 212CD E (for Common Design Expeditionary). This is a long-range submarine TKMS is marketing for the Netherland’s 4 x Submarine Replacement Program, versus Saab and Naval Group bids. See TKMS website.

See the stirring December 2, 2020 Youtube here and below.

1 min in - The 212CD E would be a joint TKMS-Netherlands build within the Netherlands - creating many long-term Dutch jobs. Dutch submarines will continue to be based at Den Helder (see TKMS website).

1:52 - words to the effect "TKMS is the world’s No.1 conventional submarine builder." Although is China now No.1? Mainly building for China and also Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand?

2.23 - animates the future 212CD contracted for Germany and Norway

2:28 - animates a future 212CD E for the Netherlands. Four torpedo tubes,  

2:48 - [2 or more MTU or MAN] diesel engines and Fuel Cell AIP. Long range, hence "Expeditionary”, often called Oceanic operations.

COMMENT

Dutch submarines need the range to get to the Dutch Caribbean and the Middle East to monitor communications.

The Dutch Navy would probably prefer a largish submarine of around 2,500 tons, like the Netherland’s existing Walrus-class but Germany may be aiming for a smaller, cheaper, offering - more in line with Netherlands’ Finance Ministry hopes.

See many previous Netherlands' Submarine replacement articles, since 2015 at Submarine Matters, here. 

China's Covid Management Allows China to Gain on the US

China's centralised ability to manage Covid in 2020 has allowed China to gain on the US (a decentralised country unable to manage Covid). Australia?

See http://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-05/china-enters-2021-a-stronger-more-influential-power/13006408

Iran's Fateh-class Submarine Threat: See "Sub Brief"

3 mins 40 secs into this Sub Brief video China assisted Iran to develop the 500 ton Fateh-class submarine here https://youtu.be/7Ku2cOKXyZU and below. The mainly indigenous Fateh's small size and stealth makes it ideal for the narrows and shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. 

The first Fateh was commissioned in February 2019 and it constitutes a threat to the much larger USN  SSGN and surface ships that are currently visiting the Persian Gulf. 7:45 describes Fateh's weapons.

Sub Brief's "Captain Jive" 10:40 provides specs, as well as Iran's intention to build 20 Fatehs. The Fateh's range will permit it to sail into the Arabian and Red Seas and (with refueling) into the Mediterranean. This all means a threat to Israel's nuclear armed Dolphin subs. 

14:10, a Fateh is being built for landlocked Caspian Sea service against competitors that may one day, again include Russia.

Italy would need Germany's OK to Export Type 212 Submarines

Italian companies would need German companies’ permission to export Type 212s. Type 212s have some diesel and structural limitations. Italy's future Type 212 NFS will be able to fully submerge longer because they will have fuel cell AIP and new Lithium-ion batteries. 

Following "Italy to build 4 Type U212 NFS Long Submergence Submarines" of December 11, 2020 Anonymous has kindly commented (with Pete edits for improved English):

For any future export of Type 212s from Italy’s Fincantieri, the Type 212’s unique structure and intellectual property rights should be considered. As 212s mount one diesel generator and have no center bulkhead [1], redundancy if the diesel fails and safety if water leaks should be concerning. Key technologies such as the floating deck, fuel cell AIP system, arrangement of batteries and the PERMASYN motor are patents of Germany’s SIEMENS and TKMS.

[1] According to standards for submarines [2], pressure tight bulkheads, including doors and equipment, are requirements for submarines. Then, 212A without center bulkhead might be refused by some potential customer navies.

[2] RULES FOR CLASSIFICATION Naval vessels DNV GL

Part 4 Sub-surface ships Chapter 1 Submarines

3.3 Pressure hull

3.3.2 In addition, component drawings of the pressure hull equipment shall be submitted including:
— entry and exit hatches
— door panels and door frames
— block flanges
— pressure hull wall penetrations and their arrangement incl. torpedo tubes
— pressure tight bulkheads including doors and equipment
— diver’s lockouts, if existing 
— escape trunks.

Anonymous
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Cutaway diagram of a future Italian Type 212 NFS (Courtesy H I Sutton via navalnews) 

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