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Smart Non-Nuclear Submarines in Changing Times - A HDW Group Industrial View
Smart Non-Nuclear Submarines in Changing Times - A HDW Group Industrial View
Smart Non-Nuclear Submarines in Changing Times - A HDW Group Industrial View
ABSTRACT
Due to the changed geostrategic situation and with a particular view towards combating international
terrorism, the mission profile of conventional submarines has undergone a subtle change.
In the view of North European navies with non-nuclear submarine flotillas, such as GE and SE,
the submarine operating in littoral waters will increasingly be tasked with employment in such roles as
forward sensor, scout, relay station, as the operating base for unmanned underwater (UUV) or aerial
(UAV) vehicles, and as a platform for the insertion and recuperation of special forces (Revolution of
Military Affairs – RMA).
The real “revolution” is taking place in the field of communications between the submarine on the one
hand and the major naval assets and Marine HQ on the other. New procedures are necessary to provide
real-time transmission of very large quantities of data to and from the submerged submarine (Network
Centric Warfare – NCW).
The submarine’s armament will be adapted to meet this mission profile. Greater emphasis will be given to
defensive weapons and to the development of weapon systems suitable for coping with an escalating
situation (different levels of impact), such as guided missiles.
This presentation aims to provide some technical answers to the changed demands being placed on
non-nuclear submarines. Changing times make more demands on the flexibility and interoperability
of existing submarines and will add specific tasks with respect to RMA and NCW: A shift is discernible
from large, fast nuclear-powered submarines with blue-water capabilities towards the smaller,
smart non-nuclear submarines designed to excel in green and brown water areas.
Paper presented at the RTO SCI Symposium on “Multi-Platform Integration of Sensors and Weapons Systems
for Maritime Applications”, held in Norfolk, USA, 21-23 October 2002, and published in RTO-MP-097(I).
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While the traditional role of the conventional submarine was to gather intelligence and to attack surfaced
and submerged targets with torpedoes, the newest generation of non-nuclear submarines is already in
various stages of design and construction (and on its way to being commissioned as U31, Class 212A for
the German Navy or even already in service as GOTLAND and her sisters, Class A19 for the Swedish
Navy) and will lend itself to a wide new range of tasks and missions. Previously, the traditional strengths
associated with a quiet, conventional submarine were its independence and its suitability for covert
operations. It was less associated with the kind of operations defined as Network Centric Warfare.
The network centric concept seeks to maximise the combined capabilities of the participating units by
using modern information technology to harness and link the capabilities of all available platforms within
a battle group into one entirety. For the submarine to be an active participant, an entirely new concept
in command, communications and information technology was necessary. Having achieved this, the
ultra-quiet non-nuclear submarine is the ideal forward observer in littoral waters to support rapid
deployment of naval and airborne forces to critical areas.
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The modern, non-nuclear submarine is equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP), extending
mission endurance and enabling it to remain fully submerged for long periods of time. Fully integrated
into the overall communications and information network, it serves as a hub for surrounding strike and
intelligence assets, a platform for reconnaissance and forward observation, an insertion and extraction
vehicle for special forces, while fully retaining its own enhanced strike potential with torpedoes and
missiles against sea and land targets. The combination of air-independent and modern but non-nuclear
provides for lowest signatures (quiet, no IR trace) and minimum target strength (small, amagnetic),
a totally new concept in stealth reflecting submarine design and construction capabilities that were not
achievable in the last century.
Even relatively small coastal nations and organisations can control large bodies of water bordering their
shores through the use of cheap Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and anti-ship missiles with an
increasingly long range. This means that naval operations must remain far back over the horizon, or when
operating in littoral waters they are forced below the surface to avoid detection for as long as possible.
The smart AIP submarines already being built by the HDW Group are capable of covert operations in
genuinely shallow waters at depths of 50 m or less. Equipped with a modern, fully integrated Command
and Weapon Control System incorporating sensors, weapons, communications and data processing and
with the help of subordinate Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), the submarine provides the
network centric input needed to support sea, air and land operations. This presentation aims to illustrate
some key features of new smart submarines. Due to their relatively small size of less than 2000 tons, some
of them indeed around 500 tons, some are hardly larger than a number of autonomous underwater vehicles
or baby submarines.
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MOBILITY
When the AIP submarine is called on, as part of an international coalition, to respond to and manage
smouldering or emerging conflicts in geographically remote areas, speed is of the essence. Increased
transit speed is also important at the tactical level for the exploitation of time-sensitive targets.
This increased speed is achieved by improved hull design with less hydrodynamic drag and an improved
snorkel mast with higher structural endurance. Once the operations area has been reached, the smart AIP
submarine can remain submerged at low speeds for considerable periods of time, undetected in deep or in
shallow waters.
COMMUNICATIONS
For the submarine to actively participate in NCW and crisis management operations it must be able to
maintain almost continuous contact with other units in the network, even when deep submerged.
The submarine’s ability to covertly gather intelligence is an established fact, but in network centric
operations it must also be possible to transmit and receive large amounts of data in real-time, in such a
way that it is difficult for the opponent to intercept or disrupt the information flow, and without revealing
the submarine’s position. This is not possible with conventional VHF/UHF submarine communication
means, but enabling the submarine to use satellite communication facilities provides global reach and
rapid data transmission times.
One such practical satellite link solution is the CALLISTO project currently being developed in Germany.
This system is a combination of hoistable mast and communication buoy. The buoy incorporates
SATCOM, GPS and ESM/EW facilities. It is attached to a conventional hoistable mast and can be
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operated as a conventional antenna or released from the top of the mast to float to the surface.
It is connected to the boat by cable, which provides the communications link and also enables recovery of
the buoy, which can be wound back down to the mast. In an emergency, the buoy also serves as a rescue
transmitter.
Other options for modern submarine communication facilities for the submarine and for UUVs include
information exchange via modular lasers or underwater modems, which use fibre-optic technology for fast
data exchange with C4SI centres. Another interesting option is the use of an aerostat, which provides
communication via microwave link, laser link or retro-reflectors.
SENSORS
Because of the interaction between the platforms forming the NCW concept, the data received by the
submarine’s advanced sensors is made available to its naval HQ. Smart AIP submarines have a
comprehensive array of own and remote sensors (using UUVs) for intelligence gathering, mine
reconnaissance, evasion tactics and target acquisition and attack purposes. By deploying UUVs as forward
sensors, the submarine can extend its range of observation even further inshore into extremely shallow
water without additionally endangering the boat or risking detection.
The submarine’s sensors alone would provide for several hours’ worth of presentation and discussion, and
here it may suffice to say that the sonar system remains the principal source of information for the
submarine. For many years, pride of place was given to passive sonar due to its minimal detection risk, but
new specific applications are making active sonar systems interesting once more. Hoistable masts enable
the submarine to raise a wide variety of mast-mounted sensors above the surface from snorkel depth,
which permit detection and identification of surface, land-based or airborne targets using radar, ESM,
visual and optronic systems. Modern data processing ensures that all sensor input is fed into and analysed
by the submarine’s Combat System.
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FLEXIBLE PAYLOAD
For the smart modern conventional submarine, a flexible payload consists of much more than weapons.
Precisely its ability to function as a forward observer in littoral waters means that the intelligence its
sensors provide to an over-the-horizon HQ Commander may be far more valuable than its own attack
possibilities. Nevertheless, a wide range of weapons is equally essential for the submarine to exercise
self-defence and to play a flexible role. A modular approach means that the smart modern submarine can
be fitted with a wide variety of weapons, mines and equipment, depending on the likely mission profile.
The torpedo has been the standard submarine weapon for over half a century. Modern torpedoes are quiet
and locate their targets by passive sonar, making not only the torpedo itself but also the submarine difficult
to locate. Most modern torpedoes are connected to the submarine by wire or fibre-optic cable, enabling
them to be controlled right to the last second and additionally feeding back more information from their
own sonar to the submarine.
In the last 30 years, increasing importance has been attached to missiles as a submarine weapon for use
against surface ships or land-based targets. The submerged submarine can fire missiles from its torpedo
tubes or from dedicated missile launching tubes. However, once they break the surface of the water,
missiles can be detected by optical, radar or IR sensors. The disturbance on the sea surface also gives
away the position of the carrier submarine. To avoid severe risk to the submarine, it must therefore be in
an operations area where own forces have sea and air superiority before firing missiles.
A new generation of lightweight fibre-optic guided missiles for submarines is currently being developed in
Germany (project name IDAS: Interactive Defence system for Air-attacked Submarines). IDAS is
connected to the submarine by fibre-optic link during its entire mission duration. The missile transmits a
constant stream of images from its IR camera to the consoles of the submarine Combat System.
The missile is intended for use against the modern submarine’s deadliest enemy: the ASW helicopter.
However, the degree of precision with which the missile can be controlled makes it suitable for operations
against surface ships and coastal targets as well. The IDAS missile is launched from a launching container
that can be loaded in a torpedo tube like any heavyweight torpedo. The system can therefore be retrofitted
into an existing submarine with relatively little difficulty.
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The use of UUVs not only as forward sensors but also as remotely operated weapons carriers is fast
becoming a reality. They can be launched, controlled and recovered by the submarine and reduce the risks
to the boat and crew. On the other hand, operating unmanned aerial vehicles from the submarine will
require more comprehensive alterations in design philosophy to enable the vehicles to be recovered.
The trend towards modular submarine design concepts where entire sections can be configured to meet
specific requirements is opening new possibilities in this kind of field. The submarine can be equipped
with a cargo bay, provided with a mission-specific payload of weapons, mines, electronic countermeasures
and decoys, or other special-purpose materials.
SIGNATURE MANAGEMENT
One of the most important features of the submarine is its ability to operate concealed. In order to succeed
in this, the submarine must have low signatures. Today’s conventional submarines have a very low
signature footprint and are extremely difficult to locate and classify, particularly in a littoral environment.
The development in submarine signature management is an ongoing struggle, pushed by the development
in sensor and signal processing technologies. New generations of submarines have lower signatures in
most aspects, compared to earlier generations. This includes radiated noise, acoustic target strength,
hydrodynamic, magnetic and electric signatures.
Active, and more advanced, signature reduction and control systems are introduced in the areas of
acoustics and electromagnetics. Owing to the development in mathematics and computer sciences,
there are increased possibilities for modelling and predicting the submarine signatures at an early stage of
the development process. This, combined with experience, model and full-scale tests, makes it possible to
reduce the signatures even further.
The development in AIP technology has increased the conventional submarine’s ability to stay submerged
for considerably longer periods and, thus, the probability of disclosure has decreased significantly.
CONCLUSION
This paper has only briefly touched on a few new and emerging submarine technologies that are at various
stages of construction, design and development in Europe within the HDW Group. It should, however,
have become clear that the advantages of stealthy operation and the flexible mission profile and payload of
smart AIP submarines make them predestined to play an importance role as a forward node in the network
centric concept. They can operate close into shore and remain undetected or indeed show themselves
intentionally to assert their presence as the situation requires.
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