Since the late nineties, non-nuclear submarines of the French Agosta 90B project have been serving in the Pakistani naval forces. These ships and the contract for their construction have a very interesting history, the echoes of which influenced the political situation in France for a long time. The submarines themselves have no less serious impact on the strategic situation in their region. Despite its small numbers, the Agosta 90B provide the Pakistani navy with certain advantages over a potential enemy.
Contract and corruption
In the late seventies, Pakistan and France signed a contract for the supply of two French diesel-electric submarines of the Agosta-70 type. These boats were originally built for South Africa, but UN sanctions did not allow them to be handed over to the customer. Pakistan showed interest in the already built ships, and soon they became part of its naval forces. This is how the cooperation between Islamabad and Paris in the field of submarine shipbuilding began.
Agosta 90B class submarine at a shipyard. Photo Hisutton.com
In 1992, new bilateral negotiations began, the purpose of which was to acquire several more submarines for the Pakistani Navy. In September 1994, a contract was signed for the joint production of three submarines of the new Agosta 90B project. In accordance with the agreement, the lead submarine of the series was to be built by France. She was also required to transfer technology and documentation to Pakistan for the construction of two more and help with the supply of some of the units. The contract value has almost reached USD 1 billion.
A few years after the signing of the contract, a scandal erupted. It turned out that the French side, through the relevant organizations and officials, lobbied for the Agosta project and solved such problems by not entirely legal methods. Some of the money paid for the three submarines went to various accounts in Pakistan and France. In the foreign press, this story was called the "Karachi Case". Some echoes of that situation took place two decades after the signing of the submarine contract.
Construction
In accordance with the Pakistani-French agreement, the construction of the first submarine was entrusted to DCNS (now the Naval Group), namely the DCN Cherbourg plant. The keel of the head submarine Agosta 90B for Pakistan took place on July 15, 1995. Subsequently, after being accepted into the Pakistani Navy, the ship was named PNS Khalid (S-137).
Construction continued until December 1998. A few more months were spent on sea trials, and on September 6, 1999, the Pakistani naval forces signed an acceptance certificate. In December, the flag was raised on the submarine and she began service.
Boat PNS Hamza (S-139) before the start of sea trials, July 2006. Photo by Wikimedia Commons
The second submarine of the series, PNS Saad (S-138), was to be built jointly. In Cherbourg, part of the hull assemblies and other products were manufactured, intended for shipment to Karachi. Pakistani Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd. completed the final assembly of the boat. The laying of the submarine "Saad" took place in June 1998, the launching - in August 2002. It was handed over to the customer at the very end of 2003.
On March 1, 1997, the laying of the third submarine PNS Hamza (S-139) took place in Karachi. Its construction was the task of Pakistani industry, although French specialists provided some assistance. Pakistan launched its first submarine of its own assembly only in the summer of 2006. The tests were completed in the fall of 2008. Soon, the Pakistani Navy began operating it.
With the delivery of the third submarine, the construction of the serial Agosta 90B was completed. Pakistan was the first and last customer of such submarines. Other orders have not been received and, most likely, will never appear.
It should be noted that the three submarines of the Agosta 90B type differed in their design, primarily in the type of power plant. The first two ships received only diesel-electric systems, and the third was immediately equipped with a combined installation with diesel engines and VNEU. In 2011, "Khalid" and "Saad" underwent modernization, during which they lost parts of the diesel-electric installation units - instead of them, VNEU was placed.
One of the boats in service. Photo Defense.pk
In 2018, the Pakistani Navy signed a contract to modernize the first two Agosta 90B submarines. It provides for the replacement of part of the electronic equipment and weapons in order to improve the main characteristics. The contract for the work was awarded to the Turkish company STM. It is noteworthy that French shipbuilders from DCNS also participated in the tender, but lost.
At the moment, the submarines Khalid and Saad are in Turkey. Only the third member of the series, Hamza, is on duty. In 2020-21, two repaired and modernized submarines will be returned to Pakistan. Probably after that, the third Agosta-90B will be modernized.
Design features
The Agosta 90B project was created on the basis of the previous Agosta-70 by reworking it using modern materials and technologies. This made it possible to retain some of the solutions and thereby simplify construction. At the same time, new components and technologies have provided a significant increase in tactical and technical characteristics.
Agosta 90B boats have a double-hull design with a sturdy hull divided into compartments. The total length of the ship is 76 m, the width is 6, 8 m. The displacement in the surface position is 1595 tons, in the underwater position - 2083 tons. The robust hull was strengthened through the use of new alloys, which made it possible to bring the working depth to 350-400 m.
Ship at sea. Photo Naval-technology.com
Now three Pakistani submarines have a combined power plant, including diesels and air-independent engines. DEU includes a pair of SEMT-Pielstick 16 PA4 V 185 VG engines with a total power of 3600 hp. and a 3400 hp Jeumont Schneider electric propeller connected to a single propeller, as well as 160 batteries. Before the installation of VNEU, two submarines of the series carried an increased number of batteries. For their placement, the volumes originally allocated for VNEU were used.
After the modernization of 2011, all ships have an additional MESMA type VNEU (Module d'Energie Sous-Marine Autonome). This product is a joint development of several French companies. Interestingly, when creating individual components of the VNEU, developments in rocket and space topics were used.
The MESMA system is built using a combustion chamber that is fed with ethanol and liquefied oxygen. The steam-gas mixture from the combustion chamber enters the steam generator. The water vapor from the latter goes to a turbine with a rated power of more than 200 kW. The waste steam is condensed and returned to the steam generator. High temperature and high pressure combustion chamber exhaust can be discharged overboard. Electricity from the turbine and generator goes to the batteries or to the propulsion engine.
According to the developers, the MESMA product has an efficiency of at least 20% and has a minimum fuel consumption. In advertising materials, such an installation is compared with a nuclear reactor - they are distinguished only by the source of heat for the operation of mechanisms.
The central post of the ship. Photo Naval-technology.com
On the surface, non-nuclear submarines of the Agosta 90B type can reach a speed of 12 knots. Submerged speed exceeds 20 knots. An economic speed of 9 knots when using diesel engines provides a cruising range of up to 10 thousand nautical miles. When using VNEU, the underwater speed is limited to 3-4 knots. The cruising range is 1,500 miles, the duration of diving is at least 18 days. Thus, according to the declared running characteristics, the French submarines are among the best in the world.
The main means of observing the situation at the Agosta 90B is the French-made Thales TSM 223 hydroacoustic complex. A flexible towed antenna is placed in the stern. It also provides for the use of an optical periscope and a radar station. As part of the current modernization, part of this equipment is being replaced. In particular, now two submarines will carry the Kelvin Hughes SharpEye radar and a full-fledged Airbus OMS 200 optoelectronic equipment unit on a telescopic mast, designed to complement the standard periscope.
The main armament of the Agosta 90B boats is four bow torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber. With their help, modern torpedo armament of foreign production is used. Also, the devices are launchers for anti-ship missiles SM-29 Exoset. The general ammunition load in the bow compartment is up to 20 missiles or torpedoes. It is possible to use sea mines, up to 28 units. According to various sources, work is currently underway to adapt Babur-III cruise missiles for use on Agosta submarines. So, in 2017, it was reported about a test launch of such a missile from an unnamed underwater platform.
The collection and processing of data, as well as control of all onboard systems is carried out by the UDS SUBTICS Mk 2 complex. A significant part of the control and management tasks is assigned to automation, which made it possible to reduce the workload on the crew, as well as to reduce its number. The crew includes 36 people, including 7 officers. For comparison, diesel-electric submarines of the Agosta-70 type required a crew of 54 people. Autonomy for food supplies for the crew - 90 days.
Regional strength
Currently, the Pakistani Navy lists two old Agosta-70 diesel-electric submarines and three relatively new Agosta 90B submarines. Together they make up not the most numerous, but rather powerful Pakistani submarine forces. They are sufficient to protect the country's maritime borders from attack by surface ships or submarines, and in addition, they themselves can carry out strikes against enemy targets at significant distances from bases.
Section of the hull with VNEU type MEMSA for the submarine Saad. Photo DCNS / meretmarine.com
The most important feature of the French project, implemented with the participation of Pakistani shipbuilders, is the use of a combined power plant with an air-independent part. This dramatically increases the real technical and combat characteristics. Depending on the current conditions and the specifics of the operation, a non-nuclear submarine of the Agosta 90B type is quite capable of becoming a serious competitor and rival even for the enemy's nuclear submarines.
The Agosta-90B submarines were laid down and built since the mid-nineties, which is why they can no longer be called fully modern. The declared composition of the weapons may lead to doubts about the combat effectiveness. However, it is necessary to take into account not only the characteristics of Pakistani Navy submarines, but also the capabilities of neighboring countries. The fleets of other states in the region, including the main strategic enemy in the person of India, cannot claim world leadership. As a consequence, the requirements for Pakistani submarines are reduced in a known manner.
Considering the current level of development of the region's fleets, the PNS Khalid (S-137), PNS Saad (S-138) and PNS Hamza (S-139) submarines turn out to be a very serious force capable of solving the assigned tasks. However, the real capabilities of Pakistan's submarine forces are still seriously limited. Until 2020-21, two of the three existing boats will be undergoing repairs, which leaves only one modern ship in service, supplemented by two obsolete ones.
In a few years, Pakistan will restore its submarine forces, and two of the five submarines will have the latest onboard equipment, which will in a certain way affect their combat potential. The countries of the region need to take this into account and prepare for a new threat. Pakistan cannot afford a large and powerful naval force and acts on the basis of its available capabilities. And even in such a situation, his submarines can threaten a potential enemy. However, the real effectiveness of the submarine forces in general and of the non-nuclear submarines Agosta 90B in particular may depend on a number of factors and may seriously differ from the expected.
