>Submarine News Around The Region

>As I go trough the backlogof stories accumulated while I had no PC, I found these two news of special interest:

Zaporizhzhya with engines running. Photo: e-Crimea

1. The work on Zaporizhzhya: Zaporizhzhya is Ukraine’s sole Foxtrot class (Project 641) submarine. She has entered into overhaul in February 2010. She is being overhoauled in 13th Repair Unit with Russian help.

   According to Ukrainian website e-Crimea, the diesel engines of the submarine were tested. Ukraine schedules to end static tests by 15 February 2011 and start sea trials. The submarine is expected to return to active duty after completing her sea trials in May 2011.

2. Papanikolis in active service: On 22 December 2010, the first Type 214 submarine of Greek Navy, HS Papanikolis entered into active fleet. She was commissioned in 3 November 2010, after a unique and long history of procurement
   

   Papanikolis in Kiel, a 2009 photo.

   For years Hellenic Navy refused to accept HS Papanikolis claiming the boat was not meeting the requirements. Poor performance from the AIP system, problems with the ISUS combat system, poor surface sea keeping in high seas, and hydraulic system issues were among the major flaws reported. And these flaws were mentioned again and again in printed in internet media to such extend that today it is very difficult (may be impossible) to convince the Greek people that theses flaws were remedied by the Germans.

   According to Greek blog Strategy Report the Greek Defence minister made the following statement:

   “From 2006 until today, yet the public is poisoned with myths and rumors. This submarine is part of today in power in the country is the “submarine tilted”, the “floating coffin”, the “submarine with fins. It should really be ashamed of those who cultivate this systematic undermining of a public asset and a strategic, I would say more precisely, the operational advantage of the National Armed Forces. [Grammer, wording and syntax of Google Translate]

   And the Greek Navy found it neccessary to make the following statement to malicious reports:

   ” From the Navy General Staff announced that a day before the ceremony admitting the submarine “Papanikolis” the fleet, after the ship for more than two months sailed by controlling all the means available under extreme weather conditions, from the Norwegian Sea at Kiel and thence across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean to Greece, some circles make a last attempt to undermine and discredit the most modern and well ship the Greek Navy. The mythology, however, “on the submarine tilted” denied in the most solemn manner.The Navy further states categorically that the “current story” of journalistic [notorious] defencenet.gr page is not accurate and has no “source” within the Navy (as in the original version said), nor was any attempt to cross before the posted Internet. [Grammer, wording and syntax of Google Translate]

   By the way, Papanikolis may be the most modern submarine in the region but she still lack an adequate punch.