I haven't had the opportunity to board a XNUMXst century submarine yet. I hope it will happen soon. But there are many times that I have been able to admire these two jewels of technology, the Todaro and Scirè, during the crossing of the Ponte Girevole, in Taranto.
The Italian-German U212A program was launched in April of the 1996, the two Italian submarines, Todaro e Scirè were built by Fincantieri in the Muggiano plant (La Spezia). The four Germans in the ARGE 212 consortium in Germany.
These submarines have the ability to operate in both brown waters, in the shallow waters along the coast, both in the blue waters, deep-sea waters, therefore in the greater depths. They really work in deep blue.
The program also provided part of the technical-logistical and training support, to reduce operating costs for both Italy and Germany.
When Fincantieri (Cantieri Navali Italiani SpA), prime contractor for the Italian Navy, he delivered the two new submarines of the class Todaro, provided the Submarinist School, including the installation of a new simulation system for crew training.
The simulator was installed on the premises of the Taranto Submarine School. Today it is part of a complex of technological simulators / coaches that have introduced very advanced crew training methods.
U212As are equipped with AIP propulsion (Air Independent Propulsion), have a highly sophisticated hydrophonic passive system equipped with different electro-acoustic sensors that cover the boat at 360 °, but not only. This is why it is necessary to train and train crews from a technical-specialist point of view, coordinated in team work and cohesively humanly.
The Italian Navy, and in particular the Changeable Flotilla Command really prepares the submarine crews thoroughly, taking care of the training in both technical and operational aspects. The implementation of the automatisms on board of the U212A has allowed to reduce a crew from 51 men, of the class Sauro, at around 27 men for class boats Todaro. The Submersible School is a center of true excellence, because it is equipped with cutting-edge educational tools, latest-generation simulators, necessary to train the submariners of the 21st century, the crews of U212.
During my visit to the Changeable Flotilla Command of Taranto I was lucky to "dive" and touch most of the teaching aids commonly called simulators:
- SCS (submarine control simulation)
- SCTT (submarine commando team trainer)
- Rush Escape
Il Submarine Control Simulation (SCS) is a faithful reproduction maneuver room of a U212 class submarine, daily the maneuvering teams, including the helmsman and platform operators, train themselves in the conduct of the navigating vehicle by simulating any situation that may arise in reality, from the simplest to the most complex up to dealing with different states of emergency. It is similar to the class dive simulator Sauro but with a much more advanced technology.
It looks like a large metal container. Inside, for the management of the exercises, there is a console reserved for the instructor, leading the training by varying the scenarios.
The simulator, mounts on a mobile system that with an oleodynamic mechanism, controlled by a computer, allows the inclination on two axes. The movements of the submarine are simulated, in various sea conditions, testing the team in training which has the task of reacting promptly to the various situations that may suddenly arise.
With dedicated software, it is possible to reconstruct, customize and manage the scenarios to be simulated during the exercises. With this software it is possible to record the data of each training session, so that the instructors and the topic at the end can review, comment on the progress of the test. The goal? Try to reach perfection thanks to constant training.
Il Submrine commander team trainer (SCTT) is employed for the training of operational personnel, working in the CIC (Central Information Center). Local used for training aimed at the command and control of the boat.
The CIC is precisely the control room of the submarine, or the operational "heart" of a U212A boat. This simulator is used to train the so-called operational (radar, ecogoniometrists, torpedoes) as well as the Guard Command Officers (periscope).
Inside there is indeed a Periscope simulacrum of Stn Atlas Electronic, from which virtual images of the "horizon" are displayed on which it is possible to manage via software the scenario that one wants to simulate including naval units, representation of the coast and not only.
The SCTT simulation devices actually work, they are interconnected just like on board and reproduce all the operational functions.
In the next room there is a control and monitoring room for the instructors. From this "location" the simulations follow, and moment by moment, they set the operational situations, based on the training aimed at the individual student or a team.
With the software, certain conditions are reproduced that the crew could face in a long navigation: they reproduce geographical and acoustic characteristics of a chosen sea area and possible weather conditions. In addition, target units are simulated, whose movements, sounds and tactics are reproduced.
The data exchanged in each simulation session, including communications, is recorded by the system
Subsequently, it is possible to carry out meticulous "debriefings" which serve to refine the preparation of "operating" submariners.
The "results" obtained are discussed between instructors and students in the Auditorium, a multimedia classroom, equipped with a large screen of 24 square meters. In this way accurate evaluations of the behavior during the simulation are carried out, the applied actions and any mistakes made.
All the sensitive areas of the Submersible School are isolated acoustically and electronically, in order to guarantee the safety of the operations.
The entire training facility was built by Fincantieri for the Italian Navy, thus ensuring the constant maintenance of qualified and always prepared and updated professionals for the next two U212 submarines - 2 ^batch (Venuti e Romei), which, shortly, will join the 1 ^batch (Todaro e Scirè).
Also for U212A submarines, it is important to know what the emergency procedures are, and for this we train ourselves to the off-shore in the event of a damaged submarine and laid on the bottom. In fact, the Somemgibili School has also equipped itself with a simulator for the Rush Escape or collective spillage. .
"Only" spill-over system for submarines of the class Todaro.
Also in this case, the initial phases of the operation are faithfully reproduced, under the strict and careful supervision of qualified instructors. Like all simulation tests, they are checked and repeated several times. The real procedure of ascent is carried out in the United Kingdom or in Norway, an obligatory and barring "step" to become a submariner of the Italian Navy.
Note: Soon I will tell you about the exciting experience aboard one of the submarines of the class Sauro. The occasion was not a simple dive ...
