Official Australian Submarine Availability - List of Commanders

On this Royal Australian Navy publically available website
 https://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/ships-boats-craft/submarines/ssg (as at March 18, 2020) is some interesting information, including submarine "docking" (non-availability) and Commanding Officers names, Commanding Officers' names, in turn, link to their official career details.

"Following is a list of Collins class submarines commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy."

Name	Pennant [number]	Commissioned	Commanding Officer	Status
HMAS Collins	S73	27 July 1996	Commander Darren White
HMAS Dechaineux	S76	23 February 2001	Commander Bradley Francis
HMAS Farncomb	S74	31 January 1998	Commander Michael Power
HMAS Rankin	S78	29 March 2003	Commander Robin Dainty	Mid-cycle docking
HMAS Sheean	S77	23 February 2001	[none?]	Intermediate Docking
HMAS Waller	S75	10 July 1999	Commander Christopher Ellis	Full-cycle docking

From the table above there appears to be only five Commanding Officers for Australia's six submarines. 

On February 20, 2020 I mentioned the difficulty the Australian Navy has experienced in finding submariners and especially submarine Commanders. I assumed Commander transferees came from the UK Royal Navy - but that now appears just part of the story. 

The difficulty in finding Australian born commanders is reflected in the table above, wherein:

-  South Africa born Commander Darren White transferred from the South African Navy.

-  UK born Commander Robin Dainty transferred from the UK Royal Navy, and

-  UK born Commander Christopher Ellis transferred from the Royal Canadian Navy

Regarding "Status" three of the submarines (HMAS Rankin, HMAS Sheean and HMAS Waller) are undergoing varying types of "docking" which I assume to mean they are being overhauled (maintenance, repairs and upgrades), hence unavailable for operations.

This leaves just 3 Collins submarines, half the submarines physically available for operations.  But the "Rule of Thirds" might suggest only 2 crews are available for operations.

Pete

Major Attack-class submarine bow redesign will add to over budget, deadlines missed.

Asia Pacific Defence Reporter (APDR) continues to be a unique source (or I haven't seen details elsewhere) on problems with the Australia's Attack-class Future Submarine Program.

For APDR's open website see  https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/.

See very useful commentary at https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/apdr-february-2020-australian-national-audit-office-identifies-problems-with-the-future-submarine-project/ and scrolling down that link see

"Read more in the [February 2020] issue of APDR (Free to read with registration or via Facebook/Linkedin): https://venturaapdr.partica.online/apdr/apdr-feb-2020/features/australian-national-audit-office-identifies-problems-with-the-future-submarine-project ":

"If [Australia's Defence Department] wanted to make the task for Naval Group far less costly and risky, they might want to change their approach to the layout of the torpedo tubes. The Barracuda has a 2 + 2 arrangement, but the RAN has a fixation on six torpedo tubes in a horizontal plane. Why this is the case, no one knows – even experienced ex submariners believe that four torpedo tubes are adequate. That is what the USN Virginia class attack submarines have. It would also be a considerable cost saving, with two less active discharge systems, two less handling systems – and a lot more room in what is a very crowded compartment.

The front of the submarine is already the most engineeringly complex and risky part of the build, and Defence is adding greatly to the difficulty of what is involved for reasons that are opaque and might never have been questioned, let alone analysed in detail..."

The Collins submarine's 6 torpedo tube horizontal arrangement can be seen above. Above the torpedo tube room likely sits the large Thomson Sintra Scylla active/passive bow sonar (aka "Thales Underwater Systems TSM 2233 Scylla active/passive bow array" (see page 9)).

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PETE COMMENT

A problem with a unique source mentioning 6 horizontal torpedo tubes (for Attack-class) is that the information cannot be corroborated  (so far) using other sources.

It could be that if the RAN wants to carry over the Collins submarine's "Thomson Sintra Scylla active/passive bow sonar" to the Attack-class then a 2 + 2 torpedo tube arrangement may not be practical. Still, if the Attack class will involve such major differences of torpedo tube and bow sonar arrangements there will be a a major flow of other rearrangements required within the Attack class' interior.

This is on top of all the other Attack-class rearrangements required to fit the 4 to 6 diesel engines,  diesel fuel tanks, and compensating seawater ballast tanks etc.

All these Attack-class interior changes mean this class has very little in common with the Barracuda SSN, the purported basis of the Attack-class. The marketing name "Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A" which helped sell the Naval Group concept submarine, is but a redundant memory.

The Australian political narrative that it is Naval Group that has caused over budget, missed deadlines, is inadequate. If the Australian Department of Defence and RAN want major redesigns (like the bow in this case) over budget, missed deadlines are guaranteed. It takes two to Tango. 

Pete

Japan's 29SS Submarine Research Program - Land Attack Missiles, etc.

Based on what I've read so far, likely, but cannot be proven. The Japanese Navy has formalized its submarine testing:

- from testing new technologies on several operational Oyashio and Soryu submarines.

- to a formal testing program called 29SS (with 29SS being a Japanese Ministry of Finance to
  Ministry of Defense research funding designation, rather than an actual operational submarine).

The 29SS Program apparently begun in 2017 (see SORYU TABLE below). 29SS apparently involves testing of such new technologies as:

-  new, higher sea state (storm) snorkel system http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2018/01/japanese-
   soryu-higher-power-snorkel.html

-  new pumpjet? propulsor

-  new 12V25/31S diesels

-  new diesel-to-LIB and LIB-to-propeller/propulsor transmissions.

-  further LIB testing (eg. new LIB types/formulas)

-  more broadly an updated combat system which would include:
   :  new "G-RX6" torpedoes, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_89_torpedo which contains
      sentence "A succeeding design is in development under the development name of "G-RX6" still
      using Mark 48 torpedo technology.
   :  new mines and decoys,
   :  possible Japanese successor to the Harpoon ASM
   :  consideration of Tomahawk or more advanced Land Attack Missiles
   :  such sensors as hull and towed sonars, radars, other submarine motion detectors
   :  optronic (non-hull piercing) masts,
   :  new central processing computers.

Even though 29SS does not mean a new submarine, the technologies above could be tested on existing "training" submarines. "Training" can be a cover for "testbed" submarine.

Japan's 2 known training submarines are the 2 earliest Oyashios
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyashio-class_submarine#Boats namely:

-  SS-590. Converted to training submarine (TSS-3608) on 6 March 2015, and

-  SS-591. Converted to training submarine (TSS-3609) on 27 February 2017.

So TSS-3608 and/or TSS-3609 could be the full scale testbeds for 29SS Submarine Research Program. Meanwhile there is a great deal of on-shore testing of 29SS technologies, eg. electronics, weapons and test pools (for miniature scale models to test the hydrodynamics of slightly altered hull shapes).

A new sail/fin, less exaggerated than the German Type 212A's, may eventially be adopted. A much lower, muc more blended sail/fin than the Soryu's is unlikely because Japanese submarines still need to be tall/perpendicular enough to operate, surfaced, without being swamped, in the higher sea states of the open Western Pacific Ocean.

As is Japan's usual practice the new technologies will be steadily incorporated into individual submarines on an iterative, continuous-build basis, rather than a US/European style batch basis.

Looking at the SORYU TABLE below, 30SS may be the first new-build submarine to begin incorporating 29SS Program features (eg. 2 x 12V25/31S diesels). Some Oyashios and Soryu's may be retrofitted - especially with updated combat system electronics and perhaps the G-RX6 torpedo.

SORYU TABLE. as at March 13, 2020 

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 2 Toshiba motors	8105 Oyashio (mythical currents)	SS-590/ TS3608	¥52.2B FY1993	LABs only	Jan 1994	Oct 1996	Mar 1998	KHI
6SS-15SS Oyashios  10 subs 2 Toshiba motors 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/ Dragon class  Mk I	8116 Sōryū (mythical dragons)	SS-501	¥60B FY2004 all Soryus with Kawasaki  12V25/25SB diesels, see and SMC-8 motor	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
21SS Concept			No 21SS built But was a concept research project on LIBs. 1st LIBs sub launched is 27SS		research in  2010	research	research
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	15 Mar 2013	2 Nov 2015	13 Mar 2017	KHI
25SS	8124 Seiryū	SS-509	¥53.1B FY2013	LABs + AIP	22 Oct 2013	12 Oct   2016	12 Mar 2018	MHI
26SS	8125 Shoryū	SS-510	¥51.7B FY2014 last SMC-8 motor	LABs + AIP	2014	6 Nov 2017	18 Mar 2019	KHI
27SS SoryuMk II due to 1st with LIBs	8126 Oryū 11th Soryu	SS-511	¥64.4B FY2015 12V25/25SB diesel SMC-8B motor ?	LIBs only (NCA type)	2015	4 Oct 2018	5 Mar 2020 & see Janes	MHI
28SS Soryu Mk II	8127 Toryu 12th & final Soryu	SS-512	¥63.6B FY2016 "2,900t" surfaced	LIBs only	Jan 2017	6 Nov  2019	Mar 2021?	KHI
29SS 29SS may be the 1st of a New class			¥76B FY2017 New features research may include: a further blended fin for noise reduction-better water flow, new propulsor, new diesels, new snorkel system. G-RX6 torpedoes replacing the Type 89s? May be using  TSS-3608 and TSS-3609 as testbeds.		research in  2017 pro-gram began	research	research	MHI assisted by KHI & JMoD
30SS New Class? 12V25/31S?	8028?	SS-513	¥71.5B FY2018	LIBs only	2018?	2020?	2022?	MHI?
31SS New Class ?	8029?	SS-514	¥B?FY2019	LIBs only	2019?	2021?	2023?	KHI?
32SS New Class ?	8030?	SS-515	¥B?Y2020	LIBs only	2020?	2022?	2024?	MHI?
33SS New Class ?	8031?	SS-516	¥B? FY2021	LIBs only	2021?	2023?	2025?	KHI?
34SS New Class ?	8032?	SS-517	¥B? FY2022	LIBs only	2022?	2024?	2026?	MHI?
35SS New Class ?	8033?	SS-518	¥B? FY2023	LIBs only	2023?	2025?	2027?	KHI?
36SS New Class ?	8034?	SS-519	¥B? FY2024	LIBs only	2024?	2026?	2028?	MHI?
37SS New Class ?	8035?	SS-520	¥B? FY2025	LIBs only	2025?	2027?	2029?	KHI?
38SS New Class ?	8036?	SS-521	¥B? FY2026	LIBs only	2026?	2028?	2030?	MHI?

Key to Table: Table information exclusively provided to Submarine Matters. LABs = 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. 

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Pete

ASC Closes Osborne Submarine Facility After Worker Coronavirus Positive

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-13/sa-submarine-maintenance-worker-tests-positive-to-coronavirus/12052500

Best English Narrated German 212A Submarine Documentary

Thanks to /Kjell for finding this. Probably the best documentary I've seen on a modern submarine. It was very recently published - February 20, 2020 and has clear English commentary. It is above and at https://youtu.be/CcgDyxADsiM.

The video takes the viewer from German Navy Type 212A U-32's submarine voyage from Germany's Eckernförde Naval Base (which hosts Germany's Submarine Squadron of 6 submarines,

"combat swimmers" (ie. Navy SEALs) and submarine support ships). Then U-32 goes through the difficult-to-navigate Kiel Canal to a naval exercise in and around Plymouth, UK.

Along the way:

-  1 minute, 40 seconds in - some woman in the crew

- 4 min, 9 secs - specs and cut away diagram

- 4:50 diesel engine, fuel cell AIP and battery functioning

- 7:25 critical nature of food/provisions to keep crew sane

- 9:20 including crates of Becks beer 

- 10:15 beer literally stored inside the torpedo tubes!

- 11:20 divers check for bombs and damage below the water line

- 12:46 shows submarine planning meetings actually occur onshore. Planning dangerous passage,

             surfaced, through the 100km long Kiel Canal (which connects the Baltic Sea with the North

             Sea)

- 14:35 Theme music of "Das Boot" "The Boat" as mission begins

- 17:30 radar, sonar, and periscope information is all compared to get out of busy port

- 18:30 crew's "long drawn out intonation of commands" to ensure crew gets the message

- 20:45 how diving works technically

- 21:25 all about periscopes, with thermal imaging and radar etc

22:50 use of sonar, avoiding yachts and fishing boats/nets. Large ships actually easier to avoid as

          they travel on predictable courses, with loud easily recognisable propellers.

25:00 (diesel engine) fire drill, very strenuous. If serious injury, helicopter evacuation (in peacetime)

28:20 small room. sub rocking and smell of food can make the cook seasick. Little room for exercise

          so cook cannot allow crew to put on too much weight. Crew need to look forward to food to

          avoid bad moods. No shift system for only cook aboard.

30:20 surfacing procedure (with intonation)

31:50 restrictive life of a submariner. Crew as a "replacement family". Foot spray for smelly feet.

35:40 rudder failure exercise ie steering cannot can't be controlled in control room. So Helmsman 

          must go to emergency rudder in stern.

37:30 only now reached Kiel Canal with help of 2 tugboats. Moves through Canal, surfaced of 

          course. A sub isn't very manoeuvrable while on the surface.

41:45 just 2 toilets "heads" and bathrooms for whole crew of 30. No designated "female only".

44:55 - submarine simulator for helmsmen to learn to steer without crashing. All crew from Cook to

            Commander must practice steering in the simulator.

48;00 only 80 active submariners in whole German submarine Corps!

48:10 need to really want to be a submariner.

Pete