Norwegians to raise submarine

The Norwegian Government has announced that the wreck of the WW2 German submarine U-864, which contains 65 tons of mercury, is to be raised, and that the contaminated seabed be covered with clean sand.

The submarine, which lies off the Norwegian west coast near Fedje, north of Bergen, has long been considered an environmental hazard by environmental groups and local people.

However, experts have disagreed on whether or not the wreck should be raised or if it would be better to build a sarcophagus which would isolate the mercury from the marine environment, thereby eliminating the pollution hazard.

Head of the Norwegian Marine Safety Directorate, Magne Roedland says the wreck should be raised.

He believes that the strong currents around the wreck will undermine the sarcophagus, resulting in leaks of mercury. The local population agree and have said the wreck must be removed.

This week, Fisheries and Coastal Minister Helga Pedersen announced that she had decided that the wreck will be raised. 'I have given highest consideration to the insecurity felt by the local population, as well as the concern by the fisheries industry over possible contamination of the waters, if the wreck would just be entombed,' she said.

fishupdate 

Norwegian submarines need base in Northern Norway

Norwegian submarines are instructed to sail more outside Northern Norway, but lack important support facilities on land, one year after Norway abandoned its Arctic base of Olavsvern.

 

 

The Norwegian submarines are diesel-electric and have batteries that need charging every fourth or fifth week, says Head of the Norwegian Submarine Forces Commodore Erik Bøe to NRK. When the Olavsvern base outside Tromsø was closed, the submarines lost the only possibility for charging batteries in Northern Norway.

Sweden offers new submarines

Swedish defence industry lost out when Norway chose new jet fighters. Now the Swedes want to offer new submarines to replace Norway's old subs which will have to be renewed in about ten years.

Sweden is one of few countries which still build submarines of the type which would fit the needs of the Norwegian Navy.

In a few years the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) will have to decide whether or not to invest in new submarines at a cost of NOK 3-4 billion each.

- International cooperation is absolutely of interest, says rear-admiral Arne Røksund of the Norwegian Defence Department.(Original News)

Defence: New submarines next?

New submarines to the cost of NOK 3-4 billion each may be the next invstment for the Norwegian Defence, after it has taken delivery of new frigates and ordered new jet fighters.

The six submarines in service today are 20 years old, and may be serviceable for another 10 years.

Meanwhile, experience shows that it often takes ten years from ordering new subs until they are received and put into service, NRK reports. The alternatives for politicians will be to either order new subs, prolong the life of those in service now, or to cancel the submarine division altogether, like Denmark has done.(Original News)

Norway Future Submarine

 Norway Future Submarine

 Type 214 Submarine

Operational Requirement: The Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) has a requirement for a modern submarine force able to conduct a variety of missions in the littoral waters of the Norwegian fjords and in the open ocean waters of the Norwegian Sea, including anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surveillance and intelligence collection, special operations support, and mine laying. The RNoN expects its submarines to play a key role in opposing an invasion of Norwegian territory.

Program Background: The RNoN submarine force currently consists of six Ula class submarines, which entered service from 1989 – 1992. Although these submarines are currently undergoing a modernization program, the RNoN should start replacing the aging hulls by 2019 if funding is available.

It must be noted that Norway was originally part of the Viking Submarine Project that began in 1997. The Viking project, which included the Nordic countries of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden was designed as a program to replace the submarines of all three countries, which had aging submarine fleets built in the 1960s and 1970s.

Its intention was to develop a common, affordable, new-generation submarine design to meet the submarine replacement requirements of the Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish navies. Additionally, it was believed that the joint procurement approach would save around 20% in total procurement costs when compared to a purely national acquisition program. It also anticipated additional savings in training and integrated logistic support (ILS) costs. However, after the program began in 1997, all three nations began to reduce their respective submarine requirements including Norway. The RNoN cut its requirement from ten hulls to six as it began to restructure its sea services to reflect its new military posture. Following five years of participation in the Viking Program, Norway withdrew on 12 April 2002 due to budgetary constraints.

Even though Norway has withdrawn from the Viking Program, it will still have to procure a new submarine from a foreign source since it has never built a complete submarine indigenously. Norway has a strong association with Germany and will more than likely procure a new submarine from Germany. A primary candidate would be the German Type 212A, which is already being built for the German Navy. Utilizing the German Type 212A or Type 214 would probably be the least expensive alternative the RNoN will have for the foreseeable future.

Program Acquisition Plan: The RNoN currently does not have an acquisition program in place to acquire a new submarine to replace the Ula class. However, the Navy will probably begin long-term feasibility studies around 2012. A construction contract will probably occur by 2016 in order to have the first unit in service by 2019 in order to begin replacing the Ula class on time. Based on this information, the following acquisition plan, for a buy of six units, valued at US$300M each, is projected:

Concept Start 2012

Concept Select 2013

Contract Design 2014

Construction Contract RfP 2015

Construction Contract Award 2016

First of Class Commissions 2019

Hull Two Commissions 2020

Hull Three Commissions 2021

Hull Four Commissions 2022

Hull Five Commissions 2023

Hull Six Commissions 2024

Design and Construction Considerations: Design and construction considerations are purely speculative. However, if the RNoN intends to replace its aging Ula submarine fleet, it will have to do so at a very economical cost. Since Norway has a long-term relationship with Germany in the submarine field, it could attempt to join in with the German Type 212A program or procure the Type 214 that is being exported to South Korea. Currently, Norway is already providing the Kongsberg Defense Aerospace (KDA) combat management system (CMS) MSI-90U for the German and Italian Type 212A units. In addition, all of Norway’s past submarines have originated from Germany.

Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HM&E): The new submarine will be approximately 56 meters (183.7ft) in length with a displacement of around 1830 tons. The design will probably include a number of features to enhance the submarine’s stealth characteristics, including reduced acoustic, infrared, magnetic, pressure, and radar signatures. It will also feature considerable automation in ship control, remote monitoring, and combat systems in order to utilize a small crew of around 30 personnel.

Combat Systems:

1. Combat Management System (CMS): The selection of the CMS will be dependent on which design is chosen. Considering a German design, the CMS will probably be a Kongsberg Defense Aerospace (KDA) MSI-90U.

2. Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) Systems: The new submarines will possess up to six 533mm meter torpedo tubes for the launching up to12 Atlas Elektronik DM2A4 torpedoes.

3. Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Systems: The new submarine will include a sonar suite consisting of bow, flank, and towed array sonars. The suite could include the Atlas Elektronik DBQS-40 passive ranging and intercept; FAS-3 flank and TAS-90 clip-on passive towed array as well as an Atlas Elektronik MOA 30070 active mine detection sonar.

4. Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems: The new submarine will posses an electronic support measures (ESM) system to provide radar warning emissions from other submarines and surface ships. A leading candidate would be the EADS FL-1800U.

Ship Characteristics: 

Ship Characteristics:

Vessel Type	Submarine
Country	Norway
Program	Future Submarine
Total Number	6
Unit Cost (US$)	300M (Est.)
Builder	To be determined, likely HDW.
Displ. Tons	1830 (Est.)
Length	56m (183.7ft) (Est.)
Beam	7m (23ft) (Est.)
Draft	6m (19.7ft). (Est.)
Machinery	Diesel-electric: Open. Probably one MTU 16V 396 diesel (1,428hp); one alternator; one Siemens Permasyn motor (3,875 hp); one shaft; one seven-bladed skewback propeller; Siemens/HDW PEM fuel cell (AIP) system (300kW); sodium sulfide high-energy batteries. (Est.)
Speed (Knots)	20 (submerged); 12 (surfaced). (Est.)
Range	8,000nm at 8 knots (surfaced). (Est.)
Diving Depth	350m (1,148.2ft). (Est.)
Complement	27 (including eight officers). (Est.)
Weapons	Torpedoes: Six 533mm (21-inch) bow tubes (water ram discharge) for a total of 12 Atlas Elektronik DM2A4 torpedoes (Est.)
Missiles	None.
CMS/Fire Control	Kongsberg Defense Aerospace (KDA) MSI-90U. (Est.)
Radar	Navigation: Kelvin Hughes 1007 (Est.)
Countermeasures	Electronic Support Measures (ESM): EADS FL-1800U (radar warning) (Est.)
Sonar	Atlas Elektronik DBQS-40 passive ranging and intercept; FAS-3 flank and TAS-90 clip-on passive towed array; Atlas Elektronik MOA 30070 active mine detection sonar (high frequency) (Est)
Periscope	Possibly Zeiss Electro Optronic (ZEO) SERO 14 search periscope (equipped with an optical rangefinder and a thermal imager); Zeiss ZEO SERO 15 attack periscopes (equipped with a laser rangefinder and optical ranger). (Est.)