Scorpene (class)

History

The combination of French and Spanish submarine building experience has produced a group of conventional "Scorpene-class" diesel-electric boats for the export market. The class has been included in the inventory of modern Brazilian, Chilean, Malaysian and Indian submarine fleets. Brazil will receive four ships in total, while Chile and Malaysia will each operate two.

The Indian Navy has committed to building six of these.

The Scorpene class includes four "subgroups" based on the original design, named "CM-2000", "AM-2000", "CA-2000" and "S-BR". The CM-2000 marks the foundational diesel-electric design product, while the AM-2000 introduces an Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system into a hybrid system to increase endurance at sea. The CA-2000 is smaller in size and, due to its compact and convenient size, is suitable for coastal patrol and deterrence missions.

The S-BR variant is a larger variant designed to meet the requirements of the Brazilian Navy.

Construction of the Scorpene boat started in 1999 and the first boat was commissioned in 2005. 19 were planned from the beginning, of which 8 were completed, 5 were under construction and 4 were eventually cancelled (as of 2019).

The submarine has a displacement rating of 1,725 ??to 2,200 short tons, depending on the country of operation. Dimensionally, it (CM-2000) is 202 feet long (though varies by country), 20 feet beam and 19 feet draft. The propulsion scheme is a standard diesel-electric arrangement, including marine diesel and a battery pack.

The top speed on the surface is about 12 knots and the top speed underwater is about 20 knots. Mission durations vary from 40 to 50 days, depending on the ship's fuel and food supplies. The AIP system can extend the life of the boat by another 20 days.

The hull was tested at a depth of 350 meters (1,150 feet).

There were 31 men on board. The armament is concentrated around 6 x 533 mm (21") torpedo tubes (all bow facing) carrying the Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei "Black Shark" series of torpedoes (18 x reloaded). In addition, these tubes can carry SM.

39 "Exocet fire" released thirty anti-ship missiles and mines.

The silhouette of the boat is traditional: rounded, well-contoured sails positioned towards the bow and incorporating dive planes. The nose section is round and contains sonar. The rear of the fuselage tapers to reveal the traditional cross-pattern tail assembly.

The propeller unit extends behind the tail and is not shrouded.

The AM-2000 has a displacement of 2,060 tons, while the S-BR has a displacement of 2,200 tons. The former has a length of 230 feet, while the latter has 246 feet.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing