well, I think you mentioned something earlier about DCN "delaying" a certain technology transfer to india, maybe in hopes of wooing Pakistan. I'm hoping that the Scorpene isn't the best of the best, but I've heard from Indian sources, that their Scorpene will be able to dive deeper than others.
Upcoming Marlin deal at IDEAS 2008 maybe?
The P75 Scorps are intended for multirole interdiction and surveillance duties for both Pacific and Indian Oceans. It makes sense to increase the diving depth to suit the Pacific operating theatre by est. 50m more given the specs of the platform? Unfortunately for the Indians the Scorpene design as a whole has become dated with both design houses introducing new designs that improve on every key parameter by which we in the RAN mean:
1-sensor fit incl sonar, EW, ELINT suites
2-acoustic sig management (ASM)
3-weapons fit
I still think the french will give much more in marlin, since it's their own complete project. not like the scorpene, where they were partnered with Spain.
Naturally-the S80 was born when the Spanish became fed up over work share and sensor ToT so they called in the British and Americans (RN and LM) to redesign and lengthen the hull and supply the sensor fit. So its really a US-Brit-Spanish SSK for US allied nations and a top contender for our Collins replacement.
well, that's why we should get the Marlin! it's still on the drawing board, nothings concrete just like the barracuda itself. perhaps the french can use the U214 as a measuring stick. The Marlin will go to the next level, in SSK design. just like you said, it'll be almost a copy of the barracuda, except miniaturised.
i'm not going to ask you what the evo-Scorpene is, but I will ask you, does india have it?
I’m certain the Marlin is already well past the drawing board stage as of 2008 when the marketing has heated up. To clarify, when I’m referring to evo-Scorps I mean ‘evolved Scorpene’ designs such as the S80 and Marlin which are what we call ‘Tier/Gen 3 designs’ that were designed and conceptualised in the 2000’s drawing from COTS and “sensor fusion” ie. ‘big picture’ signals analysis from all sonars, ELINT, EW gear generated by a highly advanced CMS. The only other Tier 3 design for export is the U214. For the record the Scorpene (‘mini Rubis’ was designed and conceptualised in the mid 90’s, did not make use of COTS and failed RAN and ROKN sensor fusion requirements (the Koreans used ours so at least DCNS can draw some cold comfort from that).
The IN has traditionally been a German/Russian client so they would logically move to the next phase and procure the U214 Tier 3 design to “counter” PN Tier 3 designs and give the IN a qualitative capability overmatch v the older PN variants barring another idiotic repeat of 2005.
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