NEWS
Submarines ship is generally regarded as an asset.
Indian SSN begins
The Indian Navy intends to build a class of
three ships with a displacement of 20,000tonnes
trials
with foreign technical support, they are possibly
to be based on a foreign design.
Indian press sources claim that trials have begun of
the Akula II (Project 971U) class nuclear-powered R&D
attack submarine (SSN) that is to be leased from
Russia. Dockside trials have reportedly begun at
Frazer-Nash maps
the Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard. It is said
submarine airflow
that the submarine will be delivered in Septem-
ber 2009. Frazer-Nash Consultancy has completed a study
The 9500tonne submarine, which is to be for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to evaluate
named INS Chakra, was leased under a secret the efficiency of carbon dioxide (CO
2
) removal
US$650 million deal made with Russia in 2004. from distressed submarines.
Up to 300 Indian naval personnel - or three sets of Operational submarines usually use powered
crew - have gone to Russia for training in operat- mechanical extraction units to remove CO
2
from
ing the nuclear-powered submarine. This is being the air. However, alternative means of extraction
conducted at a specially constructed facility in are required for circumstances in which the units
Sosnovy Bor, near St Petersburg. cannot operate, such as a survival situation.
The MoD has been evaluating a new design for
Shipbuilding un-powered CO
2
removal in survival scenarios.
Severnaya gets
This involves the use of Reactive Polymer Curtains
(RPCs) to remove CO
2
from the surrounding air
frigate rights
by way of a chemical reaction.
Frazer-Nash was appointed to assess the
The Russian government has appointed Severnaya performance of the RPCs using Computational
Verf shipyard as sole provider of the Russian Navy’s Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to map patterns of airflow,
Steregushchiy (Project 20380) class frigates. and to validate this work against physical trials
The Steregushchiys are multi-purpose ships of RPCs.
that are designed to replace the Grisha (Project The main concern was in regard to areas of
1124) class. A second Steregushchiy production the submarine that might hold pockets of CO
2
at
line was created at the Komsomolsk yard where levels that potentially could be life threatening,
RFS Sovershenny is being built; the status of this these are readily identifiable using CFD.
yard within the programme is now uncertain. Project leader at Frazer-Nash, George Tebbutt,
Under a decree permitting sole suppliers, commented: “The research is an important step
companies are allowed to receive government forward for the development of submarine safety
orders without participating in competitive systems, helping to improve the efficiency of a
tenders and under favourable terms, such as 25% vital piece of survival equipment. If called upon in
profit margins and adjustments for the fluctua- a critical situation, RPCs could provide a valuable
tions in the price of materials and energy. lifeline for submariners, ensuring breathable air
Severnaya Verf is reportedly owned by bankers by effectively removing CO
2
.”
and a Russian senator with ties to Russian Prime “Having developed and validated this new
Minister Vladimir Putin. approach to simulate the CO
2
concentration
and chemical reaction, we now plan to use this
Acquisition to assess further survival situations and similar
New Delhi plans
scenarios in the future.”
LPD programme
Mine Countermeasures
As the Indian Navy familiarises itself with the
Sweepers on FAST
dock landing platform INS Jalashwa (formerly
track
USS Trenton) plans are being drawn up for similar
ships to be built in India. The UK Royal Navy has made progress in
The ship was transferred to the Indian Navy in implementing its flexible agile sweeping technol-
January 2007. Whilst there has been criticism of ogy (FAST). Atlas Elektronik UK, the ITT
her condition, the 37-year-old amphibious warfare Corporation (formerly Edo Corporation) and
14 Warship Technology October 2008
WWT_Oct08_p6+7+8+10+11+12+14+
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