Collins class submarine

Collins class submarine
Australia
Ships in Class <tr valign=top><td>Ships in class:</td><td>6</td></tr><tr valign=top><td>Ships in active service:</td><td>Collins (SSG 73) Farncomb (SSG 74) Waller (SSG 75) Dechaineux (SSG 76) Sheean SSG 77) Rankin (SSG 78)</td></tr>
General Characteristics <tr valign=top><td>Class type:</td><td>Conventional Attack Submarine (SSK)</td></tr>
Displacement:	Surfaced: 3,051 tonnes Submerged: 3,353 tonnes
Length:	77.8 metres
Beam:	7.8 metres <tr valign=top><td>Draught:</td><td>6.8 metres</td></tr><tr valign=top><td>Propulsion and power:</td><td>1 × Jeumont Schneider main motor 7,050 hp (5.25 MW) 3 × Hedemora/Garden Island Type V18B/14 diesels 6,000 hp (4.42 MW) 3 × Jeaumont Schneider generators 5,630 hp (4.2 MW) 1 × shaft and a skew back propeller 1 × Mactaggart Scott dm 43006 hydraulic motor for emergency propulsion</td></tr>
Speed:	Surfaced: 10+ knots (18.5 km/h) Submerged: 20+ knots (37 km/h) <tr valign=top><td>Range:</td><td>9,000 at 10 kt (snort) 11,500 at 10 kt (surfaced) 400 at 4 kt (submerged)</td></tr>
Complement:	45 (8 Officers)<tr valign=top><td>Armament:</td><td>Boeing/Rockwell integrated system McDonnell Douglas UGM-84 Harpoon 6 × 21 in (533 mm) tubes for sub harpoon and Gould Mark 48 torpedo - total of 22 carried 44 mines in lieu of torpedoes Fitted for but not with Land Attack Cruise missiles with combat system AN/BYG 1 To be fitted : US Mk 48 ADCAP Combat System AN/BYG 1 based on Raytheon's CCS Mk 2</td></tr> <tr valign=top><td>Sensors:</td><td>Thales underwater systems scylla bow sonar Thales Underwater Systems GEC-Marconi Kariwara, Thomson Marconi Narama towed array or Allied Signal TB 23 Kelvin Hughes I-band navigation radar Thales optronics CK043 search and CH093 attack periscopes Anechoic tiles fitted</td></tr>

The Collins class submarines are the newest class of Australian submarines, built in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy. The class is made up of six vessels; Collins,Farncomb,Waller,Dechaineux,Sheean and Rankin, all six are based at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. They were built by the Australian Submarine Corporation at Osborne, near Adelaide in South Australia. They replace much older Oberon class submarines in the Australian naval fleet.

Much of the technology and computer design expertise came from Kockums of Sweden. The bow and escape tunnel section of the first vessel were built in Sweden. The Collins is a culmination of the result of five generations of non-nuclear submarine development for the Swedish Navy. The Collins class submarine was designed to operate beyond the sub-littoral zone with the capability of surveillance and area denial. They have a high-performance hull form, highly automated controls, low indiscretion rates, high shock-resistance, efficient weapons-handling and an optional air-independent propulsion system.

While they are probably the most capable, certainly the largest diesel-electric (conventional) submarines in the world, significant problems with hull noise, the weapons software suite, water sealing issues and periscope performance resulted in a series of delays. In 2005, it was revealed that the maximum diving depth of the Collins class had been reduced, following an incident in February 2003, when a seawater hose failed on HMAS Dechaineux, flooding the engine room and almost sinking the vessel.[1] The maximum depth remains classified. The government claims that the problems of the Collins class are now solved or on their way to resolution. In a 2003 joint naval exercise, three Collins-class submarines reportedly "sank" two American Los Angeles class attack submarines and a US aircraft carrier, supporting the claims of defect resolution and combat effectiveness.[2]

The submarine's main propulsion is a single Jeumont Schneider 5.4 megawatt electric motor driving a single shaft, 7 blade 4.22m diameter propeller. Electrical storage is fulfilled by lead-acid batteries produced in Adelaide by Pacific Marine Batteries Pty. Ltd. Main electric generation is by three Hedemora 18 cylinder four stroke turbo charged diesel engines coupled to three Jeaumont Schneider generators.

The submarine's armament is six forward facing 533mm torpedo tubes. The torpedo type in use by the RAN for the Collins class submarine is the Gould Mark 48 Mod 4 torpedo, which is a wire-guided torpedo with active/passive homing and a 267kg warhead. Range is purportedly 38km at 55 knots or 50km at 40 knots. The Collins class submarine is also capable of using the Boeing Sub-Harpoon anti ship missile. Total weapons capacity is 22 missiles and torpedoes or 44 mines.

Weapon control development was originally sub-contracted by Rockwell, but as of Jan 2006 is now provided by the AN/BYG-1 Combat Control System from Raytheon which is also fitted to the newly developed SSN Virginia class submarine for the USN. The AN/BYG-1 is a derivitive of the CCS Mk 2 combat system. The fitting of the AN/BYG-1 has gained the Collins class submarine the ability to support the Mark 48 ADCAP torpedo (also now provide by Raytheon), an upgrade that is due to enter service in 2006.[3] The current order of combat system upgrade is: HMAS Waller, HMAS Dechaineux, HMAS Collins, HMAS Farncomb, HMAS Sheean and HMAS Rankin.[4]

Jane's Fighting Ships states that the HMAS Collins has been modifed to support special forces operations.

Each boat has been named after a distinguished former member of the RAN, some of whom have died for their country.

The submarines are based at HMAS Stirling in Rockingham, Western Australia.

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External links

• Virtual tour of this and other Australian Navy ships
• RAN Submarines
• HMAS Stirling overview

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