AIP Subs getting larger, and more capable?

[Onkel Neal]

Interesting article. (http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/is-this-jumbo-diesel-electric-submarine-a-true-nuclear-1652659060)Lots of good videos, too. I still don't trust a non-nuke boat in a full blown war with a competent enemy. At some point the non-nuke has to stick a snorkel up, and when it does...

[Cybermat47]

Interesting. It could have potential, but...


At some point the non-nuke has to stick a snorkel up, and when it does...


Exactly :(

[ikalugin]

The whole point of the AIP system is that you dont need to shnorkel in order to recharge batteries.

The only major difference between a nuclear and an AIP conventional boat is the endurance. In fact the french boat in question has a very similar powerplant to it's nuclear sister, replacing the nuclear reactor with another heat source (or reformer and fuel elements like the stuff we are trying to make work).

Thus, as far as you dont need extreme endurance (for example in close by seas) or when nuclear option is not available for political reasons you might as well go for the large AIP boat.

Ie AIP boats are a valid alternatives as far as you dont need to patrol in some very remote theater for extended periods of time.

[banryu79]

Very intresting stuff!

I speculate AIP systems will be a viable replacement for nuclears in some roles. Nuclear will be still there but just for more narrow, specialized situations/roles (i.e. under the ice pack).

[ikalugin]

Nuclear propulsion gives you unlimited endurance. This means that you could transit between theaters on max speed.

So i think that AIP conventional subs is really the way to go for most nations.

[ETR3(SS)]

AIP is absolutely the way to go for nations on a budget and that aren't required or concerned with projecting sea power abroad. I could see this giving them the time on station that they need, without the need for a larger submarine fleet, to rotate through to maintain optimal operational requirements.

But there's still that drawback of the need for diesel fuel to be used at some point. If the diesel boats could break away from the need for hydrocarbons (especially in a world that wants to rely less and less on oil) they could really shine. Something akin to Vernes Nautilus.

[ikalugin]

You don't have to use diesel in the AIP boats, you could use hydrogen (diesel fuel is actually used to produced hydrogen for the fuel elements), natural gas or whatever else that would lead to a heat (or electricity) producing chemical reaction.

As to the costs - I think that the reason why AIP boats are cheaper is because they are smaller and less capable than their nuclear counterparts, ie if one made an AIP conventional boat that would dive to 600m, have 35 top speed and 8 533mm torpedo tube armament as well as good sonar set, with 15-30 percent buoyancy reserve, one would make one expensive boat.

[mapuc]

At some point the non-nuke has to stick a snorkel up, and when it does...

Not a Swedish Sub

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