SCORPENE family: Multipurpose ocean-going submarines
CONVENTIONAL ATTACK SUBMARINES (SSK)

     > Unrivalled sea-proven acoustic advantage
     > Powerful integrated combat system
     > Modular design and shipbuilding to meet customer need
     > Reduced crewing and life-cycle costs
     > Available with the ultimate AIP

Mission:

Scorpene® submarines offer true multirole capabilities.
The new-generation combat system, the state-of-the-art underwater weapons and the unrivalled acoustic advantage represent significant threats for enemy submarines, surface combatants and shipping.
Scorpene® submarines are able to fulfil the entire scope of missions that can be entrusted to a modern multipurpose submarine:

• anti-surface warfare
• anti-submarine warfare
• special operations
• intelligence gathering
• offensive minelaying
• area surveillance and blockade
• land attack

Scorpene® can perform these missions during peace, crisis or war time both in shallow or blue waters.

CARACTERISTIQUES

More and more independent from periscopic depth:

The design of Scorpene® submarine systems is particularly aimed at reducing the non-operational time spent at periscopic depth:

• the Mesma® Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system extends submerged endurance by a factor of four with high reliability. Easy to operate, it only needs civilian standard consumables.

• the powerful diesel engines ensure the lowest indiscretion rate on the market.

• Scorpene® is able to communicate easily and to update navigation data while deep dived thanks to a buoyant antenna and to a multifunction trunk allowing the use of specialized buoys.

Integrated combat system:

The Subtics® fully integrated combat system gathers all the information from the sensors or data links in order to build a comprehensive picture of the tactical situation and to deploy the appropriate weapons.

Besides an outstanding sonar suite and several above-water sensors, the combat system includes a fast, silent and safe weapon handling device to load, at any time, any launching tube with any one of the 18 weapons (torpedoes, missiles or mines).

Unrivalled sea-proven acoustic advantage:

Vibration-free machinery and elastic mountings on suspended cradles ensure excellent acoustic discretion. Thanks to its pure hydrodynamic shapes, to the sensitivity and fine integration of the sonars, Scorpene® has proven at sea its outstanding listening capacities up to maximum speed.

Reduced crewing & life-cycle costs:

With a basic complement of just 31, Scorpene® radically reduces the cost of maintaining and operating a submarine fleet. Life-cycle costs have been slashed by reducing alongside maintenance time and extending the interval between overhauls.

Tailoring design & shipbuilding to customer need:

Scorpene® submarines combine modular design, an efficient basic layout and sea-proven technologies. The final design can be tailored to accommodate each client navy’s specific needs and capability requirements.
DCNS is open to partnerships and technology transfers with local shipbuilders, enabling them to provide through-life support, supply equipment and software or undertake shipbuilding work depending on the procurement agency’s objectives. The constant aim is to give the customer navy the independence it seeks and ensure the long-term viability of the country’s chosen military posture.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Length, overall 66 - 76 m
Displacement surfaced 1,550 - 1,850 tons
Displacement submerged 1,790 - 2,010 tons
Submerged speed > 20 kts
Submerged endurance > 3 weeks
Diving depth > 350 m
Autonomy > 50 days
Complement 31