According to Indian press, the Ministry of Defense of New Delhi has selected ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to supply Type 214 submarines in response to the P-75(I) program.
The $8.4 billion program includes the construction of six vessels equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems.
Under the bidding rules, the submarines must be locally set up within the “Make in India” initiative to foster the country’s industrial and employment growth; for this purpose, the state shipyards MDL (Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited) must agree with TKMS.
The German proposal beat out the Spanish offer based on a version of the S-80 submarine, the first two examples of which are being tested or in the final stage of setup for the Spanish Armada.
It’s worth noting that the Indian Navy had previously ordered the construction of six Kalvari class submarines for the Project 75, which are closely derived from the French Scorpene.
Characteristics of the Type 214
The Type 214 mainly differs from the Type 212A in having a traditional high-strength steel hull, not the amagnetic hull of the German and Italian vessels. On board, there is a 2-module AIP system with HDW PEM BZM120 fuel cells (120 kW x 2) that gives it broad operational autonomy when submerged.
By default, the Type 214 displaces approximately 2,000 tonnes on the surface, has a length of 72 meters, the diameter of the pressure hull is 6.3 meters, it is armed with eight 533 mm torpedo tubes, and has a crew of 27.
Photo credit @ ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)
