The two Scorpène class submarines built by French shipbuider DCNS (Direction des Constructions Navales Services) and Spanish company Navantia have been laid down with KD Tunku Abdul Rahman launched in October '07 and KD Tun Abdul Razak launched in October '08. The two subs are expected to be commisioned in January '09 and October '09 respectively.
Right now approximately 150 RMN personnel are undergoing training in France on a Agosta-class SSK, the predecessor of the Scorpène-class sub.
DCNS and Navantia market the Scorpène in three main configurations: Basic, Basic-AIP (Air Independent Propulsion), and Compact. The Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak are both in Basic config.
AIP equipment allows SSKs(diesel-electric submarines) to run their diesel engines underwater without the need of snorkels for obtaining air for combustion, thus giving an advantage in loiter capability and increasing the subs' time underwater without surfacing.
Among some notable AIP systems are the German Walter turbine(developed in WW2), the French MESMA, the Stirling cycle engines and fuel cells.
Other SSKs with AIP configs are the German Type 209, 212 and 214 U-boats, the Russian Amur-class, the Japanese Asashio and Sōryū-class, and the Swedish Gotland and Södermanland-class submarine.
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2 comments:
Post some picture will be better.
Googled for Scorpene and found a link to a picture that is, I think, quite illustrative. Try this link and tell me what you http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/SHIP_SSK_Scorpene_OHiggins_Cutaway_lg.gif
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