Vietnam will produce 300 mini submarines for Thailand and 25 for Malaysia

[VALKRYIE]

HCM CITY (VNS)— An overseas Vietnamese, who is well-known in Viet Nam for creating a submarine named Yet Kieu, has received an order from a Thai company to manufacture 300 submarines, following another recent order of 25 submarines from his partner in Malaysia.

Phan Boi Tran, a composite material engineer, is a descendant of Phan Boi Chau, a celebrated 20th century nationalist. Tran is the first mini submarine producer in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Phan Boi Tran, who resides at his workshop in HCM City's Binh Tan District, said a French friend introduced him to the companies, but he declined to reveal their names.

After the previous order of 25 submarines from Malaysia, he received a huge order of 300 submarines from a Thai company, following positive feedback from resorts that used his submarine for tourism purposes.

"While my Malaysian partner paid US$2,500 for each submarine, this Thai company agreed to pay US$5,000 for each one. They have signed the contract already," Tran told Viet Nam News.

He said Thailand, with a long coastline and developed tourism industry, is a promising market for submarine tourism.

The engineer said he would need 12 people to help him manufacture the submarines in Thailand.

Initially, he will make four submarines each month. In order to complete the order for 300 submarines, he will need six years. He plans to travel between Thailand and Viet Nam during that time.

"I'm not afraid that the technology will be copied because it is very hard to create these products," he said.

After the first submarines are completed, his Thai partner will introduce the machines to tourism partners in Southeast Asia.

He said his Thai partner had agreed to sign the contract, adding that the French partner will take 30 percent of the contract value.

Each electrically powered submarine is two metres long and 0.8 metre in width, and can carry two people.

The submarine can travel five nautical miles per hour and can stay under water for two hours.

After completing the $1.5-million contract with the Thais, he will seek partners in South America, which has the world's highest growth rate in the tourism industry, according to Tran.

The engineer, who once worked at a submarine manufacturer in France, said that several Vietnamese tourism companies and resorts had asked him about his products, but they had decided not to place an order.

"They feel scared about something that is new. After other countries in the region use the submarines and have success, Vietnamese companies will follow their rivals," Tran said.

The 61-year-old said his long-term goal was to create a small military submarine.

He said he would use money from his inheritance and from sales of the tourism submarines to further develop his Yet Kieu submarine, which has received a lot of press.

"Five years ago, I did not earn any income from selling submarines. When I have enough money, I will resume my military submarine project," he said. — VNS

Engineer builds submarines for tourism - Life & Style - VietNam News

 

[Agent Smith]

WTF????? these are not even qualified to be called as midget submarines, they look like toys. instead of wasting time in such projects Viets should try to build a credible submarine force to counter the chinese. @Viet @BoQ77

 

[ebony&ivory]

WTF????? these are not even qualified to be called as midget submarines, they look like toys. instead of wasting time in such projects Viets should try to build a credible submarine force to counter the chinese. @Viet @BoQ77

One day it's a toy in a swimming pool. The next day shupa powa Viet will liberate the South China Sea!

 

[Gazi]

Can they fit a Man in this????Looks like Remote Control Boat to me under Submarine's Body replica.

 

[ebony&ivory]

Can they fit a Man in this????Looks like Remote Control Boat to me under Submarine's Body replica.

Maybe they can fit a well-trained monkey into it...

 

[大汉奸柳传志]

Why don‘t they buy scubsters if it’s for tourism? instead of this ugly thing..

 

[Rechoice]

Maybe they can fit a well-trained monkey into it...

Its for Chinese Monkey King, do you know who ?

 

[scherz]

Do these things operate with bananas?

 

[VALKRYIE]

WTF????? these are not even qualified to be called as midget submarines, they look like toys. instead of wasting time in such projects Viets should try to build a credible submarine force to counter the chinese. @Viet @BoQ77

Vietnam lacks the experience and technical expertise at this stage. With time VN will produce larger ton mini submarines for the military.

Taiwan couldn't develop conventional submarines due to its sosphesticated technology. And just recently announce it will create a fleet of 120 ton mini submarines.

Australia tried making diesel electric submarines but had technical design flaws. I think Its better to start at the bottom rather than at the top to avoid unfortunate mishap.




Vietnam: First Domestically Produced Mini-Submarine By Carlyle A. Thayer

, dated January 17, 2015
C3S Paper No. 0005 / 2015

We seek your assessment of reports concerning a “made in Vietnam” submarine. See below:

Here is some information about the submarine: Phan Boi Tran, a descendant of Phan Boi Chau – a celebrated 20th century nationalist, has become the first submarine inventor in Vietnam. He has created a mini-submarine called Yet Kieu.

Yet Kieu submarine is 3.2 meters long, 1 meter high and 1 meter wide, weighs over 1 ton and has all the functions of a real submarine. It runs on a three-phase electric power source. Theoretically it can reach an incredible speed, up to 50 knots, faster than a destroyer. This submarine is believed to have higher durability than others in its class, thanks to its composite hull. Phan Boi Tran said he decided to make a hull of composite material instead of steel because it is easier and cheaper to make a prototypes. With 10,000 USD, Tran claims that he will be able to make the hull for a mini-submarine. Tran thinks his submarine does not need anti-radar coating like normal warships because not only its hull but also its periscope and conning tower are made of composite material. Yet Kieu submarine is equipped with torpedoes with amazing speed and some secret guided weapons. In near future, Tran will have some heritage money and he wants to use this money to make a 6 metre long submarine, with 2 torpedoes and a special module. The module will help to extend the submarine’s operational range to 1,000 km from its base. Tran believes that his future mini-submarine fleet can be as powerful as the US 7th Fleet. Regarding to attack tactics for his submarine fleet, Tran said he will use “wolfpack” or mass-attack tactics used by German U-boats of the Kriegsmarine during the Battle of the Atlantic. Tran reckons that with special module above, his submarine fleet will meet the modern combat demands.

We request your assessment of the following:
Q1- Yet Kieu submarine does have its skeptics. Many think that the manufacture of quality submarines is out of reach of Vietnamese capabilities. Is a mini-submarine with those technical characteristics feasible or not?

ANSWER: Manufacturing a modern submarine capable to undertaking all the tasks required is beyond Vietnam’s capabilities at the moment. Vietnam has already had to put off building large frigates due to lack of experience with the level of technology required; but Vietnam is gaining experience in assembling kits provided by Russia and Vietnam is also constructing it own gun boats (tau phao) based on Russian designs. Even Australia has had great difficulties in building its Collin-class conventional submarines and even when they were constructed they had many
technical problems. The claims for the Yet Kieu submarine quoted in the report above are exaggerated if not fanciful.

Q2- Are mini-submarines and wolfpack tactics still suitable for modern warfare?
ANSWER: The mini-submarine of the type suggested is too small to carry heavy torpedoes sufficient to damage a principal surface combatant – corvette, frigate or destroyer. The submarine would have an extremely limited range and could only stay submerged for short periods. Vietnam’s enhanced Kilo-class submarines could operate effectively in groups. But t should be recalled that the German wolf pack submarines fired torpedoes and had to get relatively close to their targets. Modern submarines, while they do carry heavy torpedoes, also carry anti-ship cruise missiles that can be launched while submerged. They can attack at greater distance. The Yet Kieu will lack these capabilities. These deficiencies are apparent in the two Yugoclass mini-submarines Vietnam acquired from North Korea.

Q3 – Vietnam is a small country and does not have a high scientific and technological standards. How could it start constructing “made in Vietnam” submarines and weapons?

ANSWER: Vietnam’s shipyards are gradually producing larger and more sophisticated ships suitable for the Navy and the Coast Guard. Vietnam already produces the TT 400TP (tuan tra, tau phao). Vietnam has built ships displacing 2,000 tons. It will take time to master the technology. Vietnam will gain this experience when it constructs the Dutch Sigma-class frigates in Vietnam. The best way to gain experience is under license and through co-production.

(Article reprinted with the permission of the author Carlyle A. Thayer, Emeritus Professor,The University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra email: Carlthayer@webone.com.au)

C3s » Vietnam: First Domestically Produced Mini-Submarine By Carlyle A. Thayer

 

[Kyle Sun]

what make this tiny toy special?

hard to copy ?

many companies make tourist sub ,from mini toy to big luxuary sub

 

[VALKRYIE]

what make this tiny toy special?

hard to copy ?

many companies make tourist sub ,from mini toy to big luxuary sub

High quality, competitive price.

Can they fit a Man in this????Looks like Remote Control Boat to me under Submarine's Body replica.

Only 1 person in Yet Kieu mini sub. Another mini submarine with AIP technology called Truong Sa can hold 4 -5 people. This will more likely be used for military development of future mini sub fleets.

Truong Sa is about 9 meters long and 3 meters wide, and has a displacement of 12 tons when it is submerged and 9.2 tons when it is on the surface.

Equipped with automatic independent propulsion (AIP) technology and advanced navigation equipment, the vessel is expected to be able to operate for 15 consecutive days at sea, at a speed of 20-25 nautical miles per hour within a radius of 800 km.

It can dive to a depth of 50 meters and stay on the seabed for 15 hours.

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

I figured how it works!

There are two holes on the bottom for the operators legs to protrude out - that way only half his body needs to fit inside the sub. He then propels the submarine by kicking his legs and drinking the chest high seawater when he gets thirsty!

For deep diving operations the operators are given 2 weeks training in holding their breaths for really really long!

Quite ingenious actually!

 

[YoucanYouup]

A Chinese farmer made a sub

I guess Viets could catch up the farmer soon

 

[Gijoe]

Vietnam has mini submerge machine that will never float again? No way, I will never buy this submerge and will never resurface again in rest of my life.

Can they fit a Man in this????Looks like Remote Control Boat to me under Submarine's Body replica.

I think it fit Vietcong rat in there.

 

[NiceGuy]

It has a good look, dude