IMT logs more submarine work

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The Institute for Maritime Technology, a business unit of the Armscor Defence Institutes (Pty) Ltd, has been tasked to develop a speed log calibration system for the SA Navy’s fleet of three Heroine-class Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarines (SSK). The order, placed last week, is worth R1.447 million and takes work related to the boats to some R241 549 645.98 since 2007.

The Navy is also procuring a complete hoistable radar mast for the class, an order worth R2.786 million to German firm Marlog Marine Logistik. The work follows a number of other spares orders for the subsurface fleet in recent months.

This includes the procurement of optronic “submarines depot spares” from Carl Zeiss Optronics worth R3.9 million in June and the acquisition of spare pneumatic cam switching devices worth R1.3 million from Siemens Ltd in May. The sea service also last month awarded Atlas Elektronik of Wedel, Germany a R351 149.22 contract for SUT 264 heavyweight torpedo spares. The SUT 264 is the main weapon of the Manthatisi-class.

The three boats were acquired for R8.1 billion as part of Project Wills, a component of the controversial 1999 Strategic Defence Package. The lead sub, SAS Manthatisi was laid down at the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel, on May 22, 2001, was launched June 15, 2004 and commissioned November 3, 2005. She arrived in South African waters in April 2006. Her sisters were built at the Thyssen Nordseewerke in Emden. Both were commissioned on March 14, 2007. The Charlotte Maxeke arrived in South African waters in April 2007 and SAS Queen Modjadji I in May 2008.

According to the SAN two of the three boats are currently operational. The lead ship, the Manthatisi, was taken out of the water and placed in the Simon’s Town submarine shed sometime in 2007 after being damaged in a number of separate incidents. Navy Chief Director Maritime Strategy Rear Admiral Bernhard Teuteberg told the Portfolio Comitee on Defence and Military Veterans last November the boat’s electrics were damaged when “someone” had connected the submarine’s shore service “the wrong way round”, apparently because the wires had not been marked properly. In another incident, the submarine “banged” into a quay during rough weather, causing minor damage to the aft plane. The plane was bent but still functional and the submarine’s watertight integrity had not been affected. The third issue involved the efficiency of the battery, the admiral explained. He told MPs when being charged, these produced a hydrogen gas build-up that damaged some of the 480 cells making up the submarine’s main battery. The problem had been solved, however, by introducing hydrogen release valves and the manufacturer had given the undertaking that some of the damaged units would be replaced free of charge.

Teuteberg, who was briefing the committee on SA’s maritime defence capability, added each of the four Project Sitron Valour-class frigates, bought for R9.6 billion cost R133 million a year to operate. A submarine cost R30 million to operate and a patrol vessel R32 million.

In 2006 then Senior Officer Submarines Captain Malcolm Farre said the government set two main criteria in selecting the T209. The submarine firstly, had to be of a proven design. The T209 has been around since the 1970s and has never suffered a serious design mishap. Secondly, there had to be adequate logistic support, even if support from the primary supplier was interrupted. A dozen navies use about 60 of the type meaning it has a wide global footprint and parts could likely be sourced elsewhere than from source if necessary.

The Type 209 design beat several other offers, including a French offer to upgrade the three Daphné SSKs then in service and a fourth, which was to be donated. A Franco-Spanish consortium also offered two Daphnés as interim vessels while they constructed the Navy a number of CN2000 Scorpéne submarines. Sweden offered the Type 192, an export version of the Gotland-class submarine and Italy proposed Fincantieri’s S1600 design; while Russia suggested its Project 636 Kilo-class boat.

Cabinet in 2006 decided to name the boats for three heroic women in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Woman’s March against the iniquity of pass laws on August 9, 1956. This continued a SA tradition to name submarines after noteworthy women. The previous-generation Daphnés were named for women the National Party regime thought significant: Maria van Riebeeck, Johanna van der Merwe and Emily Hobhouse.

Development of a speed log calibration system for the SA Navy type 209 submarines

EMTM/2011/105 1 Sep 2011 R1 447 027,63 Armscor Defence Institutes (Pty) Ltd
t/a Institute for Maritime Technology

Procurement of a complete hoistable radar mast for the SA Navy Type 209, Mod 1400 submarines

EMTM/2011/15 25 Aug 2011 R2 786 137,80 Marlog Marine Logistik GMBH &

Procurement of weapon control unit spare parts for use with the SA Navy type 209 submarines and test/training facility

EMTM/2011/24 7 Jul 2011 R5 826 188,24 Cybicom Atlas Defence (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of type 209 Mod 1400 submarines depot spares – extension of EMTM/2009/558

MTM/S2011/1627 22 Jun 2011 R3 910 555,00 Carl Zeiss Optronics (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of spare pneumatic cam switching devices for Type 209, Mod 1400 submarines

EMTM/2010/512 26 May 2011 R1 397 438,48 Siemens Ltd

Procurement of type 209, Mod 1400 submarine depot spare parts

EMTM/2009/558 18 Nov 2010 R25 117 891,39 Tellumat SA Ltd

MTU SA (Pty) Ltd

Siemens AG Marine Solutions

Marlog Marine Logistik GMBH

Cybicom Defence (Pty) Ltd

SAAB Grintek Defence (Pty) Ltd

Mietsei Ltd 1A Piraeus, Greece

Development and commissioning of a shore-based combat suite engineering test bed – extension of EMTM/2008/585

MTM/S2010/1601 18 Nov 2010 R1 989 640,75 Cybicom Atlas Defence

Maintenance and support services of the submarine periscope systems for the South African Navy

ELGS/2009/12 20 Oct 2010 R1 840 500,00 Carl Zeiss Optronics (Pty) Ltd

Procure and commission circuit breaker test facility for Type 209, Mod 1400 submarines

EMTM/2009/559 8 Sep 2010 R15 810 910,00 Siemens Ltd

Maintenance and support services of the command and surveillance general fire control systems and surveillance systems, underwater for the SA Navy

ELGS/2010/11 8 Sep 2010 R48 391 021,90 Cybicom Atlas Defence

Maintenance and support services of the command and surveillance general fire control systems and surveillance systems, underwater for the SA Navy

ELGS/2010/11 8 Sep 2010 R48 391 021,90 Cybicom Atlas Defence

Maintenance and support services for the submarine action information systems for the SA Navy – extension of ELGS/2006/117

LGS/S2009/4274 17 Mar 2010 R2 382 547,02 Cybicom Software

LGS/S2008/3211 19 Feb 2009 R13 691,71 Cybicom Software

LGS/S2008/3871 13 Feb 2009 R4 571 418,63 Cybicom Software

Procurement of type 209 MOD 1400 submarine radar antenna unit

EMTM/2009/304 19 Nov 2009 R2 781 902,78 Marlog Marine Logistik GMBH

Procurement of type 209 model 1400 submarine depot spare parts

EMTM/2008/421 6 Aug 2009 R18 107 215,74 Marlog Marine Logistik GMBH

Alfphastone GmbH

Development and commissioning of a shore based combat suite engineering test bed for the South African Navy Class 209 submarines

EMTM/2008/585 5 Aug 2009 R46 560 029,60 Cybicom Software

Special tools and support equipment for the SERO 400-10 attack periscope and OMS 100 optronic mast – extension of EMTM/2007/599

MTM/S2008/1488 4 Mar 2009 R24 007,15 Carl Zeiss Optronics (Pty) Ltd

Spares, special tools and support equipment for the SERO 400-10 attack periscope and optronic mast 100

EMTM/2007/599 19 Dec 2008 R3 101 557,06 Carl Zeiss Optronics (Pty) Ltd

Supply and integration of SA Navy class 209 submarine engineering test bed periscope simulator – extension of EMTM/2006/522

MTM/S2007/1373 21 Nov 2007 R113 420,20 Cybicom Software

Engineering test bed periscope simulator for the SA Navy 209 Class Submarine

EMTM/2006/522 5 Jul 2007 R6 985 523,00 Cybicom Software