With the goal of restoring the operational capability of one of the components of the Integrated Naval Power concept, the Argentine Navy is evaluating the incorporation of second-hand submarines in the short term. This option was presented by the Chief of the General Staff of the Navy, Rear Admiral Carlos María Allievi, who, when consulted by Zona Militar during an exclusive interview, discussed the possibility of acquiring second-hand units currently in service.
This approach, known as “hot transfer,” will allow the Submarine Force Command to regain operational capability with its own units in the short term. Currently, the submarine ARA “Salta” is the only unit serving as a training vessel for the Navy, supplemented by simulators at the Submarine School of the Mar del Plata Naval Base and the deployment of submariners to Peru to train on Peruvian Navy units.
While the main medium/long-term project involves formulating a program for acquiring new units, submarine construction timelines demand approximately seven years from the moment of contract signing.
In this regard, Rear Admiral Allievi drew an analogy with the Navy’s most ambitious projects over the past 50 years, such as the TR 1700 submarines and the MEKO destroyer and corvette programs. He stated, “Let me clarify why we talk about the medium to long term: if the contract for one of these two submarines were signed today, the first new unit would arrive in seven years. It’s not like there’s a sub ready that I can buy and incorporate right away. Like the TRs, where the contract was signed ten years earlier. Or like the MEKOs or the Super Etendards. So, in seven years, which adds another seven years, making a total of 14 years without submarines. That’s why we are considering the short term. The plan includes three units, with the third submarine being incorporated in the tenth year. Between the seventh and tenth years, we would have all three, but concretely, until that seventh year, we would face a 14-year gap if we signed that contract today.”
Closing the gap in which the Submarine Command will be without operational units is one of the priorities of the current Navy leadership. The analysis focuses on countries operating diesel-electric submarines with a remaining useful life of at least 10 to 15 years.
The last incorporation of second-hand submarines occurred in 1971 with the ARA “SANTA FE” (S-21) (Ex USS Catfish) and ARA “SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO” (S-22) (Ex USS Chivo) submarines from the U.S. Navy’s GUPPY class. This option was also chosen by many Western bloc countries, many of which obtained true submarines for the first time, equipped with snorkel systems and several upgrades applied to the Balao class submarines.
In recent years, during the previous administration, there was interest in acquiring at least one Tupi-class submarine from the Brazilian Navy, units that are being decommissioned (to date, the submarines Tamoio (S-31), Timbira (S-32), and Tapajó (S-33) have already been decommissioned). Meanwhile, the Tupi (S-30) and Tikuna (S-34) submarines are still in service. Another option currently being evaluated is the ULA-class submarines from Norway, which have been under consideration for at least five years.
These units were built in Germany in the late 1980s and early 1990s (1987-1992) for the Royal Norwegian Navy, specifically designed for coastal operations. With a small size (59 meters in length, 1,040 tons displacement, and 1,150 tons submerged displacement), they are of lesser projection compared to the latest generations of Argentine submarines (U-209 and TR-1700), the latter being designed for considerable autonomy (70 days) and submerged speed (25 knots on the surface).
Another aspect to consider is the limited availability of diesel-electric units for transfer as second-hand units. These units, with an average useful life close to 40 years thanks to comprehensive mid-life modernizations (MLU-Mid Life Upgrade), usually complete their operational cycle within the original receiving force.
However, the long-term goal of incorporating new units should not be overlooked. Current offers include the Scorpène submarines by Naval Group and the 209 NG (New Generation) model by Thyssen. This decision requires a strong commitment from the Ministry of Defense, considering the cost and its significant impact on the Navy’s planning for the coming decades.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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