Did you read thru the whole thread???
Obviously you did not!!!
Here what is reported by Mindef on 4th Nov 2005:
The Vastergotland-class submarines will be
upgraded and converted for operations in tropical waters
before they are delivered to the RSN, to replace some of the
Challenger-class subs.
So what is the upgrades???
You and I know that Mindef will not reveal much details abt any
upgrades.
Before the official release , David Boey from ST reported this from
The Strait Times, Sep 29 , 2005 :
Defence analysts said the Vastergotlands would give the RSN's
submarine force more punch, as the subs have been fitted with a new
kind of engine called 'air independent propulsion'. This engine
allows the sub to stay underwater longer.
Next is Janes in 06 October 2005 reported this:
The package is expected to include modernisation refits
prior to delivery incorporating the addition of a Stirling
air-independent propulsion (AIP) system.
http://www.janes.com/defence/naval_forces/news/jni/jni051006_1_n.shtml
Lastly we have this from Strategypage:
Singapore's Super
Subs
November 7, 2005: Singapore will buy 2 Swedish A-17 Vastergotland
submarines, which are expected to enter service starting in 2010,
replacing some of current Challenger-class submarines. This fits
into Singapore's traditional method of acquiring new capabilities,
where old refurbished platforms are first purchased to gain
operational experience before newer weapons systems are
acquired.
In 1995, Singapore purchased 4 A-11 Challenger Class (ex-Sjöbjörnen
Class), the first of which was launched in 1968. The Challenger
Class were not only refitted for tropical conditions, but also
received weapons system and sensor upgrades. These submarines
performed very well in exercises against US Navy and Royal
Australian Navy units, proving that these old boats, when handled
well in littoral conditions, are quiet and maneuverable subs that
are able to give a pretty good account of themselves.
Of the 4 submarines in the Vastergotland class that Sweden built
between 1987 and 1990, the first two boats, the HMS HMS
Vastergotland and HMS Halsingland were taken out of Royal Swedish
Navy active service in 2004, while the other two, the HMS
Sodermanland and HMS Ostergotland, received such significant
upgrades in 2003-2004 that they are considered a new class.
In particular, apart from weapons system and stealth system
improvements, these boats received a 12 metre (36 foot) hull
extension in order to use the Stirling Air Independent Propulsion
System, making them, along with the 3 submarines of the follow on
A-19 Gotland Class, probably the quietest and most advanced
conventional submarines currently in operational service the world.
The Stirling AIP system is a propulsion system that uses diesel
fuel and Liquid Oxygen in a closed system, and greatly increases a
conventional submarine's submerged endurance. With AIP systems,
conventional submarines can go for weeks without having to surface
or snorkel in order to recharge their batteries.
Singapore has purchased the deactivated HMS Vastergotland
and HMS Halsingland, and it is more than likely that part of the
upgrades that these boats will receive will include the Stirling
AIP hull extension, making them virtually identical to the
Sodermanland Class. This means that by 2010, the RSN will be
operating two of the quietest and most lethal conventional
submarines in the world, and probably at a pretty good
price - definitely below the cost of a new Gotland sub, which has
been suggested at $100 million each, while the German U-212 Class
has been estimated at $250 million a copy.
Just how lethal will these subs be? Well, take into consideration
that the state-of-the-art Gotland Class, which is essentially an
improved Vastergotland Class with the Stirling AIP system
incorporated from the beginning, is considered so quiet and so
deadly that the USN has leased the HMS Gotland for a year in order
to practice and develop its ASW tactics against a first class
opponent.
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/articles/20051107.aspx
Will Mindef officially announced that they are AIP???
You could wait till the 2 boats retired and yet you would not get
that!!!!
Anyway , we could confirm it when the pix of the RSN's
Vastergotlands are released, they should have much longer hull if
they are AIP.
Here a good pix for future reference:
The original Vastergotlands, the length of the front hull in front
of the tower(sail or fin) is almost equal to the length of back
hull( the propeller section is underwater), thus it will look like
equal length as shown in this pix:
http://www.ubatsvapnet100.com/gal_image.asp?id=315
The upgraded Vastergotlands will have longer back hull as shown
below:
So wait for the release of pix of RSN's Vastergotlands !!!
