Massa Zarqa-class submarine

File:Massa1.jpg Riysian Massa Zarqa-class submarine GSDK-41 underway during trials in Astyria.
Class overview
Name:	Massa Zarqa'-class submarine
Builders:	Riysa
Operators:	Riysa
Preceded by:	Namr-class (modified Romeo)
Cost:	£L 300 million
Built:	1996-present
In service:	1996-present
In commission:	1996-present
Planned:	60
Building:	5
Completed:	40
Active:	40
General characteristics
Displacement:	3,750 tons surfaced 4,580 tons submerged
Length:	88 m
Beam:	10 m
Draught:	6 m
Propulsion:	2 Riyadi RMDK-1 Doshka diesel generators 1 RMDK-1 Doshka electric motor
Speed:	Maximum 17 knots surfaced 25 knots submerged
Range:	13,952 kilometers at 14 knots snorkeling 135 kilometers at 14 knots fully submerged
Endurance:	62 days
Test depth:	300 meters (400 meters design)
Complement:	32
Sensors and processing systems:	Ghouta-A acoustics system RB-60 Furat air/surface search radar Sanad electronic support measures array
Armament:	12 forward tubes slanted upwards for SMS-160 Toufan missiles 6 533 mm torpedo tubes at the bow, with up to 12 torpedoes, mines, or tube-launched cruise missiles.

The Massa Zarqa (Arabic: ماسة زرقاء English: Blue Diamond) is a class of conventionally-powered guided missile submarines built by Riysa for the Riysian Navy and for export. It is primarily designed to ambush surface warships with its cruise missiles, but retains some conventional anti-surface and anti-submarine capability in its torpedo tubes.

Description

Construction

The Massa Zarqa-class was designed for extended anti-surface warfare operations at sea, as a cheaper and more readily producible complement to nuclear attack and missile subs. To this end, the submarine class is significantly larger than most diesel-electric submarines, to better accommodate the cruise missiles and their fire control system, as well as additional stores and living space for the crew. With a heavy emphasis on automation, derived from experiences with nuclear submarines, the crew complement was managed to be reduced to a minimum of 32 - 22 of them commissioned officers in the Riysian Navy submarines. Thus, the Massa Zarqa submarines can remain away from its home port for up to two months without replenishment.

This class of submarine, like most Riysian submarines, has a double hull for increased durability and depth. The outer hull is constructed of non-magnetic steel for a reduced signature on magnetic anomaly detectors. The submarine is covered in anechoic tiles to reduce its acoustic signature, and the diesel engine room is padded with rubber lining to reduce its acoustic emissions.

Much like its brother class, the Muqatal Nabil-class submarines, effort was put into making the submarine more comfortable for its crew. Thanks to its large size, however, the Massa Zarqa submarines are unique in that they provide a cabin for each crew member, allowing them to better endure the long deployments issued to these submarines in Riysian service.

As common on Riysian submarines, there are two bridges on the submarine - one is the internal one, in the coning tower, while the second one is open-air, on top of the coning tower.

Engine/Propulsion

File:Massa2.JPG

A Massa Zarqa-class submarine snorkeling.

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An aerial photo of the Riysian Massa Zarqa-class submarine GSDK-36 surfacing.

The Blue Diamond class of submarines relies on cheaper diesel-electric propulsion rather than a nuclear engine; in this case, this is the Riyadi RDMK-1 "Doshka" system, also found on the Muqatal Nabil-class submarines. The submarine has two diesel engines powered by 205 tonnes of diesel fuel, which while surfaced or snorkeling is capable of driving it to speeds of 17 knots - though not faster, as it would damage the submarine's snorkel. The running of the diesel engines also charges the batteries of the electric motor, which underwater can propel it at speeds of up to 25 knots, while remaining quieter than nuclear engines.

The engines drive a single pump-jet assembly for propulsion; the Massa Zarqa class is the first Riysian submarine class produced with pump-jet propulsion, though the Muqatal Nabil class is the first one designed with a pump-jet. A pump-jet was selected instead of a standard propeller due to the increased speed and reduced noise provided by the configuration, allowing it to compete with nuclear submarines in terms of mobility while remaining very quiet.

Fuel consumption has been stated to be as follows:

Speed	Consumption (Diesel engines)	Hours of fuel (Diesel engines)	Range (Diesel engines)	Consumption (Electric motor)	Hours of fuel (Electric motor)	Range (Electric motor)
5 knots	3.01 kg/min	1,135 hours	10,510 kilometers	1 charge unit/minute (arbitrary unit)	130 hours	1,204 kilometers
7 knots	3.18 kg/min	1,074 hours	13,923 kilometers	4 charge units/minute	32.5 hours	421 kilometers
14 knots	6.35 kg/min	538.1 hours	13,952 kilometers	25 charge units/minute	5.2 hours	134.8 kilometers
20 knots	N/A	N/A	N/A	68 charge units/minute	1.91 hours	70.75 kilometers

Electronics and Sensors

File:Massainterior.jpg

The control room of Massa Zarqa-class submarines.

The primary sonar system of the Massa Zarqa submarines is the Ghouta-A acoustics system, also found in some other Riysian submarines. The components of the Ghouta-A system consists of the:

• Ghouta-AA spherical bow hull sonar array
• Ghouta-AJ passive flank hull arrays
• Ghouta-AG mine detection and obstacle avoidance sonar
• Ghouta-AK acoustic intercept and torpedo warning hydrophone array

The Ghouta-AA is a standard active/passive sonar system, while the -AJ flank arrays are passive-only, and the -AG is active-only. The -AA can detect targets up to 70 kilometers away in its active mode under ideal conditions, while the -AJ can ideally listen out to 48 kilometers. The -AG and -AK can work out to distances of 1 kilometer and 20 kilometers, respectively.

Supporting the submarine's acoustics systems is the S-band RB-60 Furat radar, providing the submarine - when surfaced - with air and surface search and detection capability, up to a maximum range of 60 kilometers.

Armament

The primary armament carried by the Massa Zarqa submarines are the SMS-160 Toufan anti-ship cruise missile, capable of carrying a heavy conventional or a tactical nuclear warhead. Each submarine can carry twelve of them, and in most cases, will launch all at once during an attack. The missiles can be fired at depths of up to 20 meters submerged, but the tubes must be flooded before launch. Once expended, the submarine will normally return to its home port for reloading, but it can continue operating with its secondary armament.

Supplementing the missiles are six 533 mm torpedo tubes, with up to twelve torpedoes or mines. Despite this class not being a true hunter-killer submarine class, the inclusion of the six torpedo tubes allows it to defend itself in submarine-to-submarine combat, or even attack other submarines and surface ships.

For defense against aircraft, a single launcher for a MANPADS can be mounted on top of the conning tower.

Boats

Massa Zarqa-class

To date, 39 Massa Zarqa-class submarines have been built. Nine have been refitted or are undergoing refit to class 2.

Nationality	Name/Serial Number	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Unit	Fate
Riysa	GSDK-22	2 April 1996	15 July 1996	4 October 1996	Eighth Missile Submarine Squadron	In service. Scheduled for refit in 2016.
Riysa	GSDK-23	8 April 1996	30 July 1996	8 October 1996	Eighth Missile Submarine Squadron	In service.
Riysa	GSDK-24	12 April 1996	3 July 1996	21 October 1996	Eighth Missile Submarine Squadron	Undergoing refit to class II.
Riysa	GSDK-25	20 April 1996	31 July 1996	30 October 1996	Eleventh Missile Submarine Squadron	Undergoing refit to class II.
Riysa	GSDK-28	27 June 1996	1 October 1996	10 January 1997	Twentieth Missile Submarine Squadron	In service.
Riysa	GSDK-29	27 June 1996	3 October 1996	11 January 1997	Twentieth Missile Submarine Squadron	In service.
Riysa	GSDK-30	30 June 1996	10 October 1996	13 January 1997	Twentieth Missile Submarine Squadron	In service.
Riysa	GSDK-37	1 September 1996	3 December 1996	1 March 1997	Twenty-Third Missile Submarine Squadron	In service.

Class 2 Massa Zarqa

The Class 2 is an upgrade of the original Massa Zarqa-class submarines, consisting of the addition of two Sterling engine AIP systems and an expansion of the battery storage. This significantly decreases the diesel fuel capacity down to 167 tonnes, but increases battery storage all the way up to 560 hours at 5 knots. Cost of this retrofit has been tentatively placed at around 200 million lira, nearly the cost of an entire "Class 1" submarine.

To date, only three class 2 submarines have been built, with nine others having been converted or being converted.

Operators

Riysa

• Riysian Navy