22.400 classified pages containing technical information on class submarines Scorpene that France is building for India, published on the net by the Australian press. Paris has officially opened an investigation for what has been defined as the "Scorpene scandal". A domino effect that could blow up even the largest naval contract in the history of Australia, as part of the Collins-class submarine replacement project, for a total value of 38,5 billion dollars signed with the French DCNS.
An official note from the DCNS states: "The group is aware of the articles published in the Australian press. The matter is serious and we have given a mandate to the French national authorities to establish the exact nature of the leaked documents, the potential damage to DCNS customers and the responsibles".
To finish on the network is the file Restricted Scorpene India, dated 2011, of 22.400 pages. The loss of such sensitive documents could lead Australia and the United States to question French reliability in maintaining data security top-secret entrusted to France. The company documents available on the network provide information on the main underwater sensors of the class Scorpene. And again, data on the torpedo launch system, guidance and communication. In the documents, also the specifications of the Thales company sonar.
The current operational strength of the Indian submarine fleet is based on three active boats: two class submarines Kilo purchased by the Russians between the 1980 and the 2000 and the ChakraClass Akula purchased in leasing from Moscow three years ago. Only two of them would be able to dive.
In the 1986 New Delhi had 21 submarines online. The '75' program involves the construction of six class submarines Scorpène within the 2020. The Indian Navy has signed a contract of 4,6 billion dollars with France, in the 2005, to build under license the platform designed by the DCNS companies. Work on the first boat began in May of the 2009. The Kalvari (photo) is the first Indian submarine designed to operate at greater depths than the others of its same size, estimated in 300 meters (350 test). The project uses a particular specific high-performance steel that allows it to operate at such depths, while the entire class has been designed with safety techniques and protocols to attenuate any type of underwater sound emission. The profile itself of the class Scorpène it should be hardly detectable by enemy sonars. The second boat, the Khanderi (S-51), will enter service in the 2017.
Class diesel-electric attack submarines Scorpène were designed by the companies DCN and Navantia, united in the DCNS consortium. The platform is also equipped with propulsion independent of the extra air (the AIP module is Indian). AIP systems allow the non-nuclear submarine to operate without the use of outside air. While for the reactor of a nuclear submarine cooling liquid must be continuously pumped, generating a certain amount of detectable noise, the non-nuclear battery-powered boats with AIP system, would sail in silence. The AIP propulsion allows it to extend its navigation to a maximum of 70 days. A little less than 70 meters, with a width of 6,2 meters and a displacement of 1700 tons, provides a crew of 31 men. Its maximum speed in diving is estimated at 37 km / h while surface navigation can reach 22 km / h. The six 533mm tubes are designed in primary form to launch heavy torpedoes, anti-ship missiles Exocet about thirty mines. Last December, the Indian Navy feared the possibility of buying four more submarines Scorpene bringing the fleet to ten units.
Australia, on the other hand, has chosen diesel-electric-powered class boats shortfin Barracuda, to replace the six class submarines Collins starting from the 2025. The Australian submarines will be ninety meters long and will be based on the class design Barracuda French nuclear-powered aircraft. There Barracuda Shortfin will have a displacement of 4500 tons and will remain in service until 2060. The French overcame the competition of Japan which, for the Collins-class submarine replacement project, they had advanced their class Soryu.
(photo: Indian Navy)
