Former DGSE "Spy" says France has lost industrial sovereignty to the US

The French external intelligence agency DGSE is famous for gathering economic secrets from opponents, like Russia. [1]

Like the current CIA and former Mossad directors, DGSE has a relatively high political profile. In that regard some of DGSE's former leaders are politically outspoken.

Cyceon, a French political and economic magazine reports (with extra links in blue from Pete)  March 22, 2018:

"France has lost industrial sovereignty to the USA, says a former DGSE"

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Cyceon in Articles

“We can no longer make an atomic submarine in France without American authorization,” Alain Juillet, a former paratrooper of the Service Action (SA) and director of intelligence at the Directorate-General of External Security (DGSE), told a French National Assembly’s committee.

Citing the example of Rafale fighter planes that France could no longer deliver to Egypt because of the [US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)] legislation that prohibits the export of US technological components without authorization from the US government, Alain Juillet reminds that the sale of Alstom to General Electric (GE), for which the current President Emmanuel Macron was decisive, has transferred to the United States the production of turbines essential to French nuclear-powered submarines, the keystone of the French nuclear deterrent.

“It’s an absolute loss of sovereignty, that’s the reality,” asserts the former senior official of French business intelligence to the Prime Minister. “As long as the production is in France, we can still negotiate, but we cannot sell a single submarine abroad without having the green light if we use these turbines,” he adds.

The sale of Alstom in 2014 sparked strong protests among the French armed forces and intelligence services, seeing it as a serious attack on the principle of independence and national sovereignty. France is still today the third nuclear military power in the world after the United States and Russia."

BACKGROUND (from Pete)

Alstom is a broad based French conglomerate. Alstom's Power Systems arm, amongst other activities, is involved in the construction and maintenance of nuclear power stations. 

Given France's dual-use military-civilian nuclear industry structure any entity, like US General Electric-Hitachi involved in France's nuclear power stations will also have some knowledge and influence over France's military nuclear effort.

This French effort may include knowledge and influence in the production of Plutonium and Tritium for French nuclear weapons and some enrichment of Low Enrished Uranium for France's nuclear propelled submarines (ie. for France's K15 and the follow-on reactor (soon to be revealed)).

[1] Have a look at this revealing article on the DGSE website, which states in its second footnote:

"[2] The literature sent by the [DGSE] is sent to over one hundred French institutional recipients, in particular to the presidential administration, to the Prime Minister’s office, to the Ministry of Defence, to the Ministry of the Interior, to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, etc."

Russia's Unproven Progress in non-nuclear AIP and LIBs for Submarines

In Anonymous's very busy, productive, ten days on Russian and Western diesels Anonymous has also provided two posts (here and here) on Russia's developing (non-nuclear (SSK)) Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) and Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) technologies for submarine. Combining the two posts produces:

Perhaps the most active Russian designer of SSKs and nuclear subs is the (short name) "Rubin Design Bureau" (long name Joint-Stock Company “Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering" of St Petersburg). Russia likely remains far behind the West in AIP development but Russia's LIBs' progress (perhaps working with China) is less clear. 

Rubin, is developing, sponsoring or coodinating submarine drivetrain systems, which include:

-  Diesels (next generation diesel 12ДМ-185 (ie. 12DM-185s) [1]

-  AIP using Diesel Reforming (Hydrogen producing) Fuel Cells in a Russian technology called

   "VNEU". VNEU (see Russian 2016 article) is being developed for the 5th generation "Kalina".

    Rubin claimed, in 2015, that VNEU is a fundamentally different Russian development which 

    limits the quantity of  hydrogen kept within the pressure hull.

    =  But the debate swings back to Germany which claims its Type 212 stores "...the fuel and

        oxidizer [is] in tanks...between the pressure hull and outer light hull. The gases [including

        hydrogen] are piped through the pressure hull to the fuel cells as needed..."

-  LIBs, likely of the Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) type. Comment - One of drawbacks of LIBs is

   thermal run away at low temperature. But, LFP and LTO (Lithium Titanate) have excellent stability

   at low temperatures (cold seas) AND longer time endurance improves under ice performance in

   the Arctic Ocean (immediately above Russia, Northwestern Europe and the North American

   continent). 

   =  Rubin claimed in 2014 that "lithium batteries for submarines have been tested" and "The general

       director of the enterprise, Igor Vilnit, said that a full cycle of tests of lithium-ion batteries for

       non-nuclear submarines had been carried out." But demonstrable, proven, progress is slim.

-  Propulsion motor. It is not clear whether Russia has mature permanent magnet synchronous motor

    technology for submarine.

COMMENT

Russia hopes it has a SSK development budget sufficient to produce future, single hull, Russian SSKs (eg. the (possibly already bypassed) Lada-Amur Project and/or moving to the Kalina Project). Russia intends they will be equipped with the above technologies. With these new SSKs Russia hopes to compete strategically and for foreign business orders against Western (including Japanese and South Korean) and now Chinese SSKs. 

Russia may have an advantage, in pressure hull alloys for its new SSKs, if Russia reuses Titanium from old Soviet submarine hulls. This Titanium may be the basis for deeper diving, non-magnetic hulls. In the Baltic Sea, Russia aims to challenge the technical superiority of German Type 212As in AIP, diesel generators and non-magnetic hulls. 

[1]  Another source describing the DM-185 is https://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/64560/ advises:

The “Ural diesel-engine plant (UDMZ) introduced a new generation diesel engine - DM-185”

DM-185 is alternatives of DM-210 [a problematic backup diesel for Yasen or Borey nuclear subs.] 

The DM-185 range features:

-  Total power: 0,7-4,9 MW [the high upper limit power seems to be for non-submarine];

-  Rotational speed corresponding to the total power: 1500, 1800, 1900 rpm;
-  Specific fuel consumption: not more than 204 g / kWh;
-  Specific consumption of oil in fumes: 0.4 g / kWh;
-  Specific gravity: 3.7-4.7 kg / kW Resource: 40000-70000 hours Cylinder power: 120-234 kW.

ANONYMOUSES COMMENT

The 12DM-185 seems to correspond to the MTU 4000 diesel, but, where do the 12DM-185's turbochargers come from?

PETE COMMENT

Russia's (presumably) underfunded SSK projects may remain uncompetitive (strategically and in sales of SSKs) compared to the latest Western SSKs. This is with the West working on third generation fuel cell-AIP, Japanese standard LIBs as well as KHI and MTU 4000 diesels. 

Even China, with a larger budget for SSKs, may be passing Russia in AIP and LIBs. In that regard see Submarine Matters' article, China into Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) for Submarine - Can Russia Keep Up? of February 2, 2016.

Mainly Anonymous

Idea of Exporting Japanese Diesels for Australia's Submarines Not New

Anonymous has located a source in Japanese that confirms that Japan has considered exporting its submarine diesels for Australia's Future Submarines, for almost two years. 

This source is a Japanese Diamond economic magazine article of May 10, 2016. When translated it indicates, in part:

[Failure to win the Australian Submarine competition] "...is a big pain in Japan. However, there is a last chance. There is a way for Japanese manufacturers to participate in [the Australian] submarine development as a supplier.

[Japanese Admiral (retired)] Masao Kobayashi, a former Maritime Self-Defense Force's submarine corps commander, said, "The purpose of the technology transfer of submarines is to strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Australia. Although we lost the order in the main competition, I think I should speak."

Especially, what [Japan could export is Kawasaki] diesel engines. DCNS [now Naval Group] is planning to install six engines [in Australia's future submarine] according to local reports, but if you make use of Kawasaki Heavy Industries' technology which makes high-output engines of [submarine] "type", it is said that 2 to 4 units are sufficient..."

COMPARISON

To back up the point that fewer Japanese Kawasaki submarine diesels are required is the Table published in Submarine Matters on March 20, 2018. 

This indicates that the maximum Mechanical output of available Western European (MTU and MAN) diesels is 1330 kW while the maximum Mechanical output for a Japanese Kawasaki diesel is 3100 kW.

German-Russian DM-185 & German-UK MTU Submarine Diesels Supplied to China?

The DM-185 diesel is almost certainly being offered and modified for Chinese nuclear and conventional submarines. Perhaps not through Russia's UDMZ but though Germany's FEV.

Anonymous has kindly provided many of the following details on the DM-185 range.

GERMANY'S FEV SUPPLYING SUBMARINE DIESELS TO CHINA

The Research Association for Energy Technology and Internal Combustion Engines, in German "Forschungsgesellschaft für Energietechnik und Verbrennungsmotoren" (FEVGmbH) was founded in 1978.

The FEV "Company History" advises http://www.fev.com/en/who-we-are/company-history.html: 

FEV entered the Chinese market with the establishment of an office in Beijing, China in 1998...FEV established its Asian Technical Center in Dalian [notable for shipbuilding including Chinese Navy (PLA-N) shipyards] China, providing FEV with a diesel development facility to support its customers in Northeast Asia.
-  The risk German or broader Western submarine diesel secrets could leak to Russia and on to
    China is obvious.

A more direct route is MTU 396 and MTU 4000 marine/submarine diesels technology transfer occuring in the new Rolls-Royce/MTU/Yuchai factory in Yulin, China for Chinese Yuan submarine use. 
-  China might then pass on MTU details to Russia (assuming Western firms are not already
   passing MTU details to Russia?)

BACKGROUND

The new generation Russian-German designed multipurpose DM-185 diesel (with electrical output of 1515 kWe) is being tested for submarine. This is with a view to being the primary power plant for future conventional diesel-electric Russian and Chinese submarines. DM-185s might also replace the DM-21 backup diesels on Russian Yasen class multipurpose submarines and Borey/Borei SSBNs.

http://expert.ru/ural/2016/30/na-otechestvennom-hodu/ 2015/2016 at the Ural Diesel-Motor Plant (UDMZ)...opened a production complex of DM-185 diesel. The DM-185 was developed by a team of specialists from Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Ural Federal University, German engineering company FEV and the design bureau of the Ural Turbine Plant (UDMZ).

On March 17, 2018 Anonymous supplied extra information on the DM-185. In 2016 the Russian Ural Diesel Motor Factory LLC (UDMZ) and German headquartered FEVGmbH announced the launch of new generation DM-185 diesels in the 28th International Council on Combustion Engines (CIMAC) Congress, June 6 to 10, 2016 in Helsinki. This is the detailed paper announcing the DM-185  (http://jxpt.whut.edu.cn:81/meol/common/script/preview/download_preview.jsp?fileid=517881&resid=63750&lid=5030 (2.3MB PDF). According to this paper, the former DM-185 specification has been updated to version 2.

Two 4-2DL42M diesels are used for Kilo submarines Project 636.1  They are L6 type diesels with 300mm of bore and 360mm of stroke. Using PG-142 generators they generate 1000kW of electrical output at 700 rpm. For sources see Revised Table footnotes 3, 4, 5.

Two 7-2D42M diesels are used for Kilo submarines Project 636.3, They are L6 type diesels with 300mm of bore and 360mm of stroke. Using PG-167 generators they generate 1500kW of electrical output at 750 rpm. For sources see Revised Table footnotes 3, 4, 5.

RUSSIA'S FLOTPROM (FP) ANNOUNCED ON JULY 2, 2015:

 https://flotprom.ru/2015/%D0%9C%D0%B2%D0%BC%D1%8153/ The new generation  diesel engine, DM-185, is being built at the Ural diesel-engine plant... DM-185s can be used for surface ships, in particular corvettes, and submarines. The engine is intended to replace another diesel engine - DM-21.

As the FlotProm correspondent was told...the engine consists of [50% Russian] components [and presumably 50% German components?] and has a Russian control system.

"The engine was created to solve the problems that arise with the DM-21 engine," the source said. According to the representative of the company, now the DM-21 is operated on the rescue vessel Zvezdochka and is installed on the Yasen and Borey submarines. 

He noted that in addition to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the potential customers of the engine are the BRICS countries. [including Russian, Indian and Chinese submarines]

"At the request of the customer, the engine can be equipped with various modifications, including it can be converted to gas," the company representative said.

The engine is high-speed, its resource is designed for 70000 operating hours without major repairs. In addition, it has a large cylinder capacity and was designed according to the newest technologies.

At the same time, the engine has disadvantages, according to the interviewee, by weight it is slightly heavier than the engines of the German company MTU.

Russia's UDMZ and Germany's FEV multipurpose (including submarine) DM-185 diesel engine. (Photo courtesy International Trading House WTH Souztrade at http://souztrade.ru/dizelnye-dvigateli-dm-185/)

---

Anonymous and Pete

Revised Table Comparing Russian, German, French & Japanese Submarine Diesels

Since Submarine Matters published Table Comparing Russian, German, French & Japanese Submarine Diesels, of March 15, 2018, Anonymous has done further very useful research and compiled new sets of data, figures and footnotes. These are marked in Blue with submarine diesels bolded.

Table 1 Specifications of modern diesels for submarine (as at March 20, 2018)

Country		Russia			Germany		France		Japan
Make		UDMZ [11]			MTU		MAN Diesel & Turbo		KAWASAKI
Type		DM-185 V12M [11]	DM-185 V12G [11]	DM-185 V12S [12]	16V396SE84	12V4000U83	8PA4V200SM	12PAV200SMDS	12V25/25SB	12V25/31S
Application		Surface Marine	Genera t or	Sub-marine	Sub	Sub	Sub	Sub	Sub	Sub
No. of cylinder		12	12	12	16	12	6	12	12	12
Bore	mm	185	185	185	165	170	200	200	250	250
Stroke	mm	215	215	215	185	190	210	210	250	310
Piston speed [1]	m/s	13.6	10.7	10.7	11.1	11.4	9.1	9.1	10.0	12.4
Rated speed [2]	rpm	1900	1500	1500	1800	1800	1300	1300	1200	1200
Mechanical output [3]	kW	2416	-	-	1200	1300	700	1330	2500	3100
Cylinder capacity [4]	l	5.76	5.76	5.76	3.95	4.31	6.59	6.59	12.2	15.2
Specific mechanical output[5]	kW/l	21.6	-	-	18.9	25.1	17.6	16.8	16.9	16.9
Electrical output [6]	kW	-	1907	1525	960	1040	560	1064	2000	2480
Specific electrical output per [13]	kW/l	-	27.5	22.0	15.1	20.1	14.1	13.44	13.5	13.5
Electrical output (snorting) [7]	kW	-	-	1373	864	936	504	957	1800	2232

[1] Piston speed = Stroke x Rated speed / 30000

[2] Based on product catalog or data from this blog.

[3] [9] page 3,” Table 1 Performance and emission targets DM-185 Engine Family”. Others are based on product catalog or data from this blog.

[4] Cylinder capacity = (Bore/2)^2 x Stroke x 3.14 / 1000

[5] Specific mechanical output = Mechanical output per unit capacity = Mechanical output / (Cylinder capacity x No. of cylinder)

[6] Electrical output of DM-185V12S = Electrical output of DM-185V12G x 0.8. Electrical output of DM-185V12G is in [11]. For others, Electrical output = Mechanical output x 0.8 (= power factor)

[7] Electrical output at snorting = Electrical output x 0.9 (= assumed figure based on [8]).

[8] SUBMARINE POWER AND PROPULSION: BALANCING THE ENERGY ELEMENTS, 

January 2012, page2 John Buckingham.

[9]http://souztrade.ru/dizelnye-dvigateli-dm-185/

[10] http://jxpt.whut.edu.cn:81/meol/common/script/preview/download_preview.jsp?fileid=517881&resid=63750&lid=5030

[11] Ibid, page3, [9] page 3,” Table 1 Performance and emission targets DM-185 Engine Family”.

[12] Hypothetical DM-185 diesel generator for submarine applications. All data of DM-185 12VS are estimation.

[13] Specific electrical output =Electrical output per unit capacity = Electrical output / (Cylinder capacity x No. of cylinder)

According to UDMZ and FEV GmbH [9,10], potential users of diesel engines DM-185 are i) enterprises of locomotive construction, ii) private transport operators, iii) leading industrial enterprises of various sectors of the economy, iv) shipbuilding companies, v) manufacturers of heavy quarry self-propelled machinery, and vi) manufacturers of diesel-generator stations.

Specifications of DM-185s are as follows:

MORE DETAILED DM-185 SPECIFICATIONS

• Engine type: L6 / V12 / V16 / V20

• Rated power: 750-1400 / 1500-2400 / 2600-3750 / 3200-4000 kW

• The diameter of the cylinder: 185 mm

• Piston stroke: 215 mm

• Cylinder power: up to 240 kW

• Cylinder capacity: 5.776 liters

• Piston speed: 13.6 m /s

• Rated speed: 1500, 1800, 1900 rpm

• Common Rail fuel equipment and the possibility of installing individual fuel injection pumps

• Specific fuel consumption: not more than 200 g / (kWh)

• Specific oil consumption: not more than 0.4 g / (kWh)

• Emissions of harmful substances: EU IIIA; IMO2 (+); Tier 3

• NOx emissions: no more than 7.2; 8.4; 6.4 g / kW * h

• Emissions of particulate matter: not more than 0.2 g / kW * h

• Warranty period: 1-3 years

• Service life: 25-30 years

DIESELS USED IN KILO SUBMARINES

Two 4-2DL42M diesels are used for Kilo submarines Project 636.1  They are L6 type diesels with 300mm of bore and 360mm of stroke. Using PG-142 generators they generate 1000kW of electrical output at 700 rpm. For sources see Revised Table footnotes 3, 4, 5 above.

Two 7-2D42M diesels are used for Kilo submarines Project 636.3, They are L6 type diesels with 300mm of bore and 360mm of stroke. Using PG-167 generators they generate 1500kW of electrical output at 750 rpm. For sources see Revised Table footnotes 3, 4, 5 above.

ANONYMOUS'S COMMENT

As latest diesel, common rail fuel injection system, whose evaluation is yet established, is adopted for DM-185 and 12V4000 U83E. Output of DM-185 is not bad, but evaluation of vibration is not reported. If DM-185 shows good anti-vibration performance, it is very strong competitor of Germany or French diesels. Electrical output of DM-185 for submarine is 40-50% higher than those of German and French counterparts.

PETE COMMENT 

As indicated on the Table, Japanese Kawasaki diesels have, by far, the highest mechanical and electrical outputs. An arrangement of four of these Kawasaki diesels would be more suitable for Australia's Future Submarine (SEA 1000) than a problematic six to eight lower powered MTU or MAN diesels.

Anonymous