The Scorpène-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed by the French Naval Group (formerly the DCNS) and the Spanish company Navantia. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP). It is now marketed as the Scorpène 2000.
Scorpène characteristics
The Scorpène class of submarines has three subtypes: CM-2000 - conventional diesel-electric version 61.7 meters long. AM-2000 - air-independent propulsion (AIP) derivative. MESMA AIP, length stretched to 70 meters. CA-2000 - downsized version for coastal missions. S-BR - Brazilian Navy variant, a CM-2000 stretched to 70.62 meters to accommodate more batteries.
The Chilean and Malaysian boats are fitted with the TSM 2233 Mk 2 sonar. The class can also be fitted with a 'S-Cube' sonar suite from Thales.
Air-independent propulsion
The French Module d'Energie Sous-Marine Autonome (MESMA) system is being offered by the French shipyard Naval Group for the Scorpène-class submarines. It is essentially a modified version of their nuclear propulsion system with heat being generated by ethanol and oxygen. The combustion of the ethanol and stored oxygen, at a pressure of , generates steam which powers a conventional turbine power plant. This pressure-firing allows exhaust carbon dioxide to be expelled overboard at any depth without an exhaust compressor.
Each MESMA system costs around US$50–60 million. As installed on the Scorpènes, it requires adding a new , 305-tonne hull section to the submarines, and enables a submarine to operate for more than 21 days under water depending on speed.
Naval Group is also developing second-generation hydrogen fuel cell AIP modules for future Scorpène models.
Scorpène information leak
In mid-August 2016, The Australian newspaper published documents containing old technical information about the Scorpène submarines and reported that design details of the Scorpène-class submarine and other ships had been leaked. The leaked information spreads over 22,400 pages and includes detailed information about the submarine's combat and stealth capabilities. The leak also included information about noise levels, submarine frequencies and more. Despite all the information leaks, Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba was quoted as saying that the leaks were being viewed "very seriously", but were "not a matter of much worry". The report also suggested that an ex-French Navy officer working as a sub-contractor for Naval Group may have been the source of the leak, and that the leaked data may have been written in France in 2011. However, on 30 August 2016, a court in New South Wales temporarily banned The Australian from releasing any more confidential data on the Indian Scorpène-class submarines.
Naval Group filed a complaint against the newspaper with the Supreme Court of the State of New South Wales in Australia. The Australian court ruled in favour of Naval Group on 29 August and confirmed its decision on 1 September.
Operators
Current operators
Chile
The Chilean Navy ordered two Scorpène-class boats, which replaced two s retired by the Chilean Navy. The Chilean Scorpène-class and were completed in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Malaysia
In 2002, Malaysia ordered two Scorpène-class boats worth €1.04 billion (about RM4.78 billion). Both boats and commissioned by Royal Malaysian Navy in 2009.
India
In 2005, India chose the Scorpène design; purchasing six submarines for US$3 billion (US$500 million per boat). Under a technology transfer agreement, the state-owned Mazagon Docks in Mumbai was to manufacture the submarines, and deliver them between 2012 and 2016, however the project is running six years behind schedule. Construction started on 23 May 2009. In August 2016, over 20,000 confidential pages of the submarine's manual were leaked by Australian media, stirring up a controversy about the impact to India's ambitions of fielding a blue-water navy.
Naval Group answered that those documents were not crucial. After extensive sea trials, Kalvari was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 14 December 2017.
India's Defence Procurement Board (DPB) (a part of the Ministry of Defence) green lit the acquisition of 3 additional boats on 10 July 2023. Following this, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the proposal on 13 July 2023. The deal was expected to be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France on Bastille Day, 14 July 2023. However, no such deal was signed and the deal is now expected to be signed by end of 2024 with the deliveries beginning by 2031.