Heroine class submarine

The Heroine class are a variant of the Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarine developed by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG of Germany, currently in service with the South African Navy.

Background

South Africa placed a contract for three Type 209/1400 submarines in July 2000 on Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and Thyssen Nordseewerke. The Type 209/1400 displaces 1,450t surfaced and 1,600t dived. The Type 209/1400 submarines replace the French-built "Daphné" class submarines, SAS "Spear", SAS "Assegai" and SAS "Umkhonto" which were decommissioned in 2003.

The first submarine, SAS "Manthatisi" (S101), was built by Howaldtswerke at Kiel. It was launched in June 2004 and commissioned in November 2005. The second and third submarines were built by Thyssen Nordseewerke in Emden. The SAS "Charlotte Maxeke" (S102) was launched in May 2005 and commissioned in March 2007. The third submarine, SAS "Queen Modjadji" (S103), was launched in 2006 and handed over in February 2008.

The submarines' homeport is Simon's Town naval base in Cape Town.

The submarines are named after powerful South African women. SAS "Manthatisi" is named after the female warrior chief of the Batlokwa tribe. SAS "Charlotte Maxeke" is named after the female political activist Charlotte Maxeke, who campaigned for equality in the early 20th century. SAS Queen Modjadji is named after the South African Rain Queen.

Performance

The submarine has a crew of 30. The hull has a length of 62m, breadth of 7.6m and height of 5.8m. It has a maximum diving depth of 500 meters.

The Type 209/1400 submarine has a maximum speed of 10kt surfaced and 22kt dived.

Command and Control

The Atlas Elektronik ISUS 90 integrated sensor underwater system provides fire control for the torpedoes. In addition to automatic fire and weapon control, it performs automatic sensor management as well as navigation and support functions.

Weapons

There are eight 533mm bow torpedo tubes and the submarine can carry up to 14 torpedoes.

ensors

The submarine is fitted with a non-hull-penetrating mast supplied by Carl Zeiss Optronics. The mast integrates an optronic sensor with a high-definition resolution colour TV camera and third generation thermal imager. The cameras are gyroscopically stabilised in elevation and azimuth.

The sensor assembly is installed in a retractable unit outside the pressure hull of the submarine. The observation and operation of the mast are controlled on a console. The optronics mast system contains fully automatic functions for very fast surveillance and observation so the period of mast exposure above the surface is extremely short.

The surface search radar operates at I-band. The sonar suite includes an Atlas Elektronik CSU 90 hull-mounted passive and active search-and-attack sonar and flank sonar arrays.

Countermeasures

The submarine is equipped with a Saab Grintek Avionics electronic support measures system.

The submarine's ELINT electronic intelligence system is the Saab S/UME-100 tactical electronic support measures which provides electronic intelligence analysis and amplitude direction finding capability.

The S/UME-100 comprises the ESM antenna, the radar warning receiver antenna, a signal distribution unit and an electronic warfare controller.

The S/UME-100 tactical ESM antennas interface to the optronics mast and attack periscope.

Propulsion

The submarines are fitted with a diesel electric propulsion system based on four MTU 12V 396 diesel engines delivering 2.8MW, with four alternators and one Siemens 3.7MW motor, driving a single shaft.

External links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/type-209.htm Global Security]

References