Navantia Cartagena Begins AIP Propulsion System Testing on Submarine S 83 “Cosme García”

Navantia has started testing the air-independent propulsion (AIP) system at its Cartagena shipyard, which has already been incorporated into the section of submarine S-83 “Cosme García,” the third in the S-80 plus series.

These final tests begin after all preliminary installation work of the various necessary equipment has been completed. The tests will allow for necessary adjustments to the system in its actual location before joining the 12-meter long and approximately 400-ton section with the rest of the submarine's pressure hull.

The section of the S83 carrying the AIP is located in a special testing facility at the Cartagena shipyard, known as IPS3, where a multidisciplinary task force from the Submarine Business has carried out all necessary verifications to initiate the tests.

AIP tests in this section have begun with the first load of liquid oxygen and bioethanol, from which the system produces hydrogen that serves as fuel for its hydrogen fuel cell to propel the submarine while submerged.

This is, therefore, a third-generation AIP - meaning it does not carry stored hydrogen but generates it as needed from a liquid fuel - which allows breaking the limitations of previous generations currently in operation.

The air-independent propulsion will grant the S80 submarines the capability to operate submerged for weeks instead of days (the time current conventional submarines equipped with lead-acid batteries can remain submerged), enhancing their stealth and deterrent capability.

The AIP will undergo the verifications outlined in the program's system engineering manual on a unique test bench, capable of simulating both the bow and stern of the submarine as well as real operational conditions, including the immersion depth and the submarine's speed. This will allow for adjustments and functional demonstrations, including power generation with the AIP under various operational conditions, optimizing the expected timelines for system tests in port.

The testing process aboard the S83 section represents a new milestone for the AIP, a system with a high national technological content, showcasing the progress of the program, with the S82 conducting its port tests and the S83 and S84, the next two units, under construction at the Cartagena shipyard.

The Navantia S-80 program includes the construction of four next-generation submarines for the Spanish Navy. Thanks to the air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, these vessels can generate electrical power while submerged, using oxygen and bioethanol stored on board, allowing them to operate for extended periods without the need to surface or perform snorkel maneuvers.

With a high level of stealth, advanced combat systems, state-of-the-art sensors, and an optimized design for long-duration operations, the S-80 submarines position Spain among the countries with the technological capability to develop such strategic platforms.

Photo: provided