BY: TOM KINGTON, RIVA TRIGOSO, Italy For defensenews



A submarine being developed by Italy and Russia displaces 1,000 metric tons but could take a size cut to better suit market demand, an Italian official said here Oct. 23.
Italian shipyard Fincantieri and Russia’s Rubin have been working on the S1000 submarine, equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP), since 2004.
Fincantieri has previously stated the submarine would be 40 to 50 meters long with a top speed of 14 knots, a crew of 16, submersion depth of 250 meters and the ability to stay submerged for 10 days using an AIP system powered by fuel cells.
But a Fincantieri official said that plans could now be overhauled to produce a smaller sub in response to soundings from potential customers.
The official declined to specify what the size reduction would be, or who potential customers are. Italy and Russia have ruled themselves out as customers.
The S1000’s main missions have been described as anti-submarine warfare, surveillance, intelligence-gathering, reconnaissance and transport for up to 12 special forces troops.
Fincantieri’s work in India, meanwhile, is expanding, company officials said. After being selected to build a new refueling vessel for the Indian navy, the firm expects to sign a contract by year’s end.
“We are also discussing working on the refitting and re-engining of P15 vessels,” said the official, adding that the work would be similar to the advisory role Fincantieri has taken on India’s aircraft carrier program.
The official spoke at Fincantieri’s shipyard here during the launch of the second Horizon-class frigate the company is building for the Italian navy. The Caio Duilio will be delivered to the navy in the summer of 2009.
Italy is building two Horizon frigates in a joint program with France, which is also building two. The Caio Duilio is a 7,050–metric-ton, 153 meter-long, 20 meter-wide vessel able to reach 29 knots with a crew of 230.
Italy’s first Horizon frigate, the Andrea Doria, will be delivered to the navy by year’s end. Combat systems will then be tested, with service entry by the end of 2008, Fincantieri said.
Turning to the company’s work on Italy’s FREMM-class frigates, officials attending the launch said it was still unclear whether Italy would find funds to order one, two or four of the vessels in 2008. Italy plans to build 10, has ordered two already and must have ordered a total of six by 2010 to escape large penalty payments.
The first two FREMM vessels were ordered with the aid of funds from the Italian Ministry of Industry’s budget that helped procure loans.
While the Defense Ministry may contribute to the funding of the next vessels in 2008, a Fincantieri official said a second deal with the Ministry of Industry is being considered, involving the release of around 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) over the course of 15 years to service a loan worth 700 million euros. That would cover two vessels with a cost of about 350 million euros each.