Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Smaragdadler said:The U212A is specially made for littoral waters (ie. shallow waters of nothern Europe), with a number of bold choices in the design which are not found in any other SSK :
- Only one Diesel generator. Still have the fuel cells in case of failure, and we are never far from the coast. Implies a smaller and shorter sub for shallow water warfare.
- Only one battery set (perhaps divided in two electrical boards, perhaps not...) battery is only used for sprints. For patrol, the fuel cells are used => smaller sub.
- non magnetic steel. Ideal for shallow and littoral waters where aircraft threat is real and deep diving useless (water depth < 200m most of the time)
IMO range on fuel cell is about 25 days at an average speed of 4 knots, total range (snorkel/dive cycles) is about 7000 NM at 8 knots. However, submerged ranges on a SSK highly depends on the electric hotel load of the sub. ie, if you used 100% of the combat system and other auxiliairies, the range will be reduced quite much.
Weapons : 6 tubes / 12 weapons
U214 can be considered as a more conventional sub (littoral + open sea) for export derived from U212A but not necessarily better (it depends what you intend to do with it!):
- two DG sets
- two battery sets
- conventional magnetic steel for improved max depth
- "cross" type aft planes instead of "X" type
All in a bigger sub....
For the fuel cells, I think that the germans have the best AIP system (not talking about nuclear power of course!) with them far ahead of the stirling engine (Sweden) or the MESMA (France).
means the advantage of U212 is that its trunk consists of a non magnetical non leading material, this means mines can't stick on it. The sensors of mines ,submarines ,fighters can not measure magnetic distortions and this is why it is no longer detectable with today's technology
aken said:They both have non magnetic steel hull (a German standard since the 60's), although the boats which are built in cooperation with the customer (like Greece or South Korea) may follow different materiel specification (you choose magnetic steel but acquire greater diving depth than the original), but the 214 has smaller underwater range on the AIP than the 212/212A (around 15 days at 5 kts against 25-28 days at same speed).
As for the only battery set used in 212, that's because there is not enogh space in the after part (the one with a smaller diameter) to accomodate both engine room and battery. Plus it would upset the trim since the metal hydride containers placed in the lower part of the aft section are already very heavy.
Also the U214, although being considerably longer than the 212, is not bigger. They are both around 1700 cubic meters dived.
Non-magnetic hull doesn't even make much difference, and please dont post "improved version of U-209" crap here, unless you can prove it. U-214 is an improvement over the U-212.
Also there is no proof that IF the different material used would be inferior to the material used in the non-magnetic hull.
No you are wrong, albiet larger U-214 is degraded export version of U-212, and there is no doubt about that. Googlee it up
The U-212A is the best sub in that family
Type 214 submarine: Information from Answers.comThe Type 214 is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW). It is based on features of the Type 212, but as the export version of the more advanced Type 212 submarine it lacks the non-magnetic hull (to avoid detection) and other classified technologies.
....
General Characteristics
* Displacement: 1700 t surfaced / 1980 t submerged(GR) / 1860 t submerged(SK)
* Dimensions: length 65 m / beam 6.3 m / draft 6 m
* Pressure hull: austenitic steel
Type 214Specifications
Length overall approximately 65 m
Pressure hull diameter approximately 65 m
Surface displacement approximately 1700 t
Crew 27(+8)
Pressure hull Austenitic steel
It is commonly stated that “stainless steel is non-magnetic”. This is not strictly true and the real situation is rather more complicated. The degree of magnetic response or magnetic permeability is derived from the microstructure of the steel. A totally non-magnetic material has a magnetic permeability of 1. Austenitic structures are totally non-magnetic and so a 100% austenitic stainless steel would have a permeability of 1. In practice this is not achieved. There is always a small amount of ferrite and/or martensite in the steel and so permeability values are always above 1. Typical values for standard austenitic stainless steels can be in the order of 1.05 – 1.1. See Composition effects on the magnetic permeability of austenitic stainless steels
It is possible for the magnetic permeability of austenitic steels to be changed during processing. For example, cold work and welding are liable to increase the amount of martensite and ferrite respectively in the steel. A familiar example is in a stainless steel sink where the flat drainer has little magnetic response whereas the pressed bowl has a higher response due to the formation of martensite particularly in the corners.
In practical terms, austenitic stainless steels are used for “non-magnetic” applications, for example magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In these cases, it is often necessary to agree a maximum magnetic permeability between customer and supplier. It can be as low as 1.004.
Non-magnetic hull doesn't even make much difference, and please dont post "improved version of U-209" crap here, unless you can prove it. U-214 is an improvement over the U-212.
Also there is no proof that IF the different material used would be inferior to the material used in the non-magnetic hull.
I just posted what i had read somewhere. i think it was wikipedia. i know how wikipedia articles can sometimes b unreliable.
So if the characteristics of the U-214 are stated correctly, then its hull made of austenitic steel should be non-magnetic, with further improvements over the 212 allowing it to dive to 400 meters.
How does the U-214 compare to other SSKs like scorpene, Amur and Gotland class?
How does the U-214 compare to other SSKs like scorpene, Amur and Gotland class?