Agosta-class submarine
- French Navy
- Malaysian Navy
- Pakistani Navy
- Spanish Navy
- Arsenal de Cherbourg (Cherbourg )
- A & Chantier Dubigeon (Nantes)
- Navantia (Cartagena)
- DCN Cherbourg (Cherbourg )
- Karachi Shipyard (Karachi)
- Above water: 1,480 ts
- Under water: 1,760 ts (A 90B: 2,050 ts)
- Diesel: 2,685 kW
- Electrical: 2,200 kW
- Surfaced: 12.5 kn (23 km / h)
- Snorkel: 10.5 kn ( 19.5 km / h )
- Immersed: 20.5 kn (38 km / h)
- Above water: 10,000 NM ( 18,520 km )
- Test depth: 300 m (A 90B: 350 m )
- Maximum: 500 m
- France: Exocet SM39
- Pakistan: UGM -84F Sub - Harpoon
The Agosta class (A 90 ) is a French built submarine class. The boats are so far the last French conventional diesel- electric powered submarines. The submarines were used until 2001 by the French Navy. The Spanish and the Pakistani Navy put the subs one also. Pakistan uses in addition to two older submarines of the class a modernized design and presented most recently in 2006 an independently built in their own country boat of the class in service. The submarines are operated to this day (2006) from both the Pakistani and the Spanish Navy. In addition, the Malaysian Navy uses an ex - French boat as a training and test vehicle.
Details
The class was developed in the late 1960s as the successor of the Daphne class and the construction of individual boats 1970-1975 approved. Even during the construction phase, the class was used as a basis for the construction of the French nuclear submarines hunting the Rubis class. The first entered service in submarine of the Agosta class was 1977. Between 1977 and 1978 three more submarines have been put at the service of the French Navy. The 1978 entered service in La Praya was equipped as a special feature with a small submersible vehicle for special operations. The shut down in 1986 Narval (S 631), lead ship of the class Narval, also led to a small underwater vehicle behind the tower.
The first foreign customer was the South African Navy, which ordered in the mid- 1970s, two boats. 1977 adopted by the United Nations for an arms embargo against the apartheid state. The two submarines were therefore not delivered to South Africa but sold to Pakistan and put into service by the Pakistan Navy in 1979 and 1980 respectively.
The second foreign buyers is Spain. Between 1983 and 1985 four manufactured under license in Spain as the Agosta - class submarines were put into service.
In the 1980s, the submarines were modernized and capable of underwater firing of anti-ship missiles from the torpedo tubes. While the French opted for the use of MBDA Exocet SM39 from own production, the Pakistani Navy uses U.S. AGM -84 Harpoon.
1994 ordered the Pakistani Navy three other submarines of the modernized version of A 90B. The boats are slightly larger than in the original design. They are also faster, can dive deeper by using newer materials and are equipped with more modern electronics. The higher degree of automation allows reduction of the crew size from 54 to 36 men. A boat was completed in France, built the other two licenses on a Pakistani shipyard. The last of the two built in Pakistan boats that Hamza (S 139), was built complete in Pakistani -house without French support.
In one of the built in Pakistan submarines, the use of a largely air-independent propulsion system is being tested. The autonomous modules as d'Energie Sous- Marin ( MESMA ) designated construction consists of a steam driven turbine. As fuel used ethanol and liquid oxygen. The drive is a three to four times larger underwater range ensure than the pure battery drive. In the event of a successful test, a corresponding modification of the other Pakistani submarines is provided.
The four submarines of the French Navy were asked to 2001 out of service. They were the last conventional submarines of France. The French Navy uses since only nuclear submarines.
2005 one of the decommissioned French boats was reactivated. In the course of obtaining the Scorpène class developed from the Agosta - class Malaysia leased this boat to gain experience in the use of submarines before the scheduled 2009 deployment of the new class and to be able to train crews.
The remaining four Spanish and five Pakistani Agosta submarines of the class were in active service in 2006.
Boats of the class
France
The four submarines were built by Arsenal de Cherbourg in Cherbourg:
- Agosta (S 620) Year of issue: 1977
- Whereabouts: 1997 decommissioned.
- Year of issue: 1977
- Whereabouts: 1998 decommissioned.
- Year of issue: 1978
- Whereabouts: 2000 decommissioned.
- Year of issue: 1978
- Whereabouts: 2001 decommissioned, leased to Malaysia in 2005.
Malaysia
The submarine was built by Arsenal de Cherbourg:
- Ouessant (S 623) Year of issue: 1978 ( France)
- Remaining: 2001 out of service (France)
- Year of issue: 2005 ( Malaysia)
- Whereabouts from 2011 as a museum ship
Pakistan
Two U- boats were originally built at AC Dubigeon in Nantes for South Africa, but delivered because of an arms embargo on Pakistan:
- Hashmat (S 135); the provided by the South Africans name was: Astrant Year of issue: 1979
- Fate: on active duty.
- Year of issue: 1980
- Fate: on active duty.
Three modern A 90B - boats were built both in France and in Pakistan:
- Khalid (S 137) Built by: DCN in Cherbourg
- Year of issue: 1999
- Fate: on active duty.
- Built by: Karachi Shipyard in Karachi
- Year of issue: 2002
- Fate: on active duty.
- Built by: Karachi Shipyard in Karachi
- Commissioning: August 14, 2006
- Fate: on active duty.
Spain
The four Spanish submarines Galema class were built at Navantia in Cartagena and are currently (2010 to 2013) up on boat 2, which is to be sold, modernized:
- Galerna (S 71) Year of issue: 1983
- Fate: on active duty.
- Year of issue: 1983
- Remaining: 29 June 2012 decommissioned.
- Year of issue: 1985
- Fate: on active duty.
- Year of issue: 1985
- Fate: on active duty.