Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and its Spanish partner Navantia have showcased the integration of bio ethanol stealth technology (BEST) on a Spanish Navy submarine, according to a report by The Economic Times. This technology can provide submarines with up to 21 days of underwater endurance and is set to power the Indian Navy’s next-generation conventional submarines. BEST has been offered to India with a complete transfer of technology (ToT) as part of the bid under the Navy’s Rs 43,500 crore Project 75 (India), signed last year.
BEST enables submarines to remain submerged for three weeks by using bio ethanol to generate oxygen, which sustains the crew and powers fuel combustion. This eliminates the need for surfacing every two to three days, a limitation of conventional submarines, significantly enhancing stealth and endurance.
The technology was recently integrated into the S-83 submarine for the Spanish Navy, marking a milestone in Navantia-L&T’s offering for Project 75(I), which requires six air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarines.
