A new submarine commissioned by the Spanish navy at a cost of 2.2 billion euros (£1.9billion) has been discovered to contain a serious design flaw...A problem with its electronic targetting system? An issue with poorly-laid out crew quarters?
...it is too heavy and will sink like a stone.I...
I just...
The shipbuilders based in Cartagena, southern Spain, are now seeking "technical experts from abroad" to advise in the redesign of what was billed as the "most modern conventional submarine".Presumably, they need to find people who understand that it needs to do more than just dive?
H/T: Stephen Brown via email
Spain`s up to its neck in debt and they`re spending £1.9 billion on a submarine? what the fuck for?
ReplyDeletewhen did the Spanish Navy last go to war?
I've been following a similar sage for the past 3 years about the French-Spanish Scorpene submarines built by the same company as in this story and supplied to the Royal Malaysian Navy; which "was found unfit for diving".
ReplyDeleteThe submarines were also unfit for many other things too. What was hailed as a great deal for the Malaysian taxpayer (by the man who is now the country's PM) turned out less so when two giant cigar tubes were delivered. Further monies then needed to be spent on frivolities like navigation systems and torpedoes etc
And then there's the mysterious payment of €114 million from the French partner Armaris (now DCNS) for “support and coordination services”. When the 'lady friend' of a key player attempted to collect her share, she was kidnapped in broad daylight by the Malaysian Special Branch. The lady friend was the Mongolian model Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa whose remains were later found in remote woodland having been destroyed with C-4 explosive. Two officers, who happened to be the bodyguards of the then Defence Minister (and now PM), were eventually sentenced to hang for the murder. Their appeal starts next week.
In the meantime, the French authorities have been investigating the bribes scandal. Which has suffered a set-back when the lawyer representing DCNS in the case Olivier Metzner, 63, was found floating off his island off the Brittany coast a few weeks ago. But when you look at his client list, this could be another story on its own.
The submarines? The Malaysian ones are in service finally, although they also appear to have accidentally acquired a third older design which is going straight to a museum at a cost of lord know what. The Scorpene class subs are also currently being supplied to Chile and India - so those deals should be clean as a whistle. The French designers and Spanish builders have fallen out. The Spanish deciding to design/build their own subs... the new S-80 class; which apparently are able to remain submerged indefinitely ;-)
Who needs a good spy novel when real life is so much more exciting.
@Anonymous 12:23
ReplyDeleteMaybe that is why they are in debt.
"The lady friend was the Mongolian model Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa whose remains were later found in remote woodland having been destroyed with C-4 explosive. Two officers, who happened to be the bodyguards of the then Defence Minister (and now PM), were eventually sentenced to hang for the murder."
ReplyDelete!!!
Is this why the Armada was a FCuk Up ? same designers.
ReplyDeleteXX will sink like a stone.XX
ReplyDeleteAhh? Yes.... It is a "SUBMARINE", they are MEANT to do that....
Or am I missing the point`?
Opens up a fruitful new field for those old jokes about how Italian tanks had seventeen reverse gears and only one forward, or whatever it was.
ReplyDelete