Project 04260 submarine

Project 04261 HA-240 (2017)
Class overview
Name:	Project 04260
Builders:	Shipbuilding Plant No.143
Operators:	Itayana Navy
Built:	2010 - present
In service:	2017 - present
Planned:	12-16
Building:	4
Completed:	6
Active:	6
General characteristics
Type:	Attack submarine
Displacement:	7,000 tonnes surfaced 7,900 tonnes submerged
Length:	113.67m
Beam:	10m
Draught:	11m
Installed power:	Diesel-electric, pump jet
Speed:	15kn surfaced (publicly disclosed figure) 25kn submerged (publicly disclosed figure)
Range:	With snorkel: 12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) (publicly disclosed figure)
Endurance:	120 days
Test depth:	400m (publicly disclosed figure)
Crew:	45 men (21 officer)
Sensors and processing systems:	Surface-Search Radar Electronic Warfare Suite Optronic mast Active Hull Sonar 6 x Hull Sonar Flank Array (Passive) Towed Array Sonar Wake Detection System White Whale Combat Integration and Submarine Management Suite
Armament:	4 x 660mm torpedo tubes (16 torpedoes) 2 x 324mm torpedo tubes (20 torpedoes) 4 x 324mm external launchers (with reloads)

The Project 04260, NATA reporting name: Claire, is a class of long-range diesel-electric attack submarines in service of the Itayana Navy. It was originally designed in the late 2000s as the bigger of the two domestic submarine designs. The class had a protracted development history, being plagued by financial problems, lack of necessary equipment, and overly ambitious requirements, necessitating outside help to be completed. Nonetheless, six submarines of the initial Project 04261 entered the operational service in the late 2010s. Additional four boats of the related Project 04262 are on sea trials or under construction as of 2022.

Development

Unlike most of the Itayana Navy projects, the Project 04260 has a relatively understood design history coming from the interviews of its lead designers and analysis of the open-source intelligence and media leaks.

The decision to design an ocean-going diesel-electric boat was made by the Admiralty of Itayana in 2002. The design requirements called for a submarine capable of operating in Salacian, Oorupaqi, west Vespanian and east Makrian oceans in anti-shipping and anti-submarine capacity. The submarine was to be armed and equipped with domestic weapon systems, which by then were yet to be developed. Diesel-electric propulsion was chosen over nuclear as it was estimated that the Itayana economy and industry would not be able to handle a significant force of nuclear submarines. Other limiting factors included the capacity of the slipways and available industrial equipment on the Shipbuilding Plant No. 143, the only facility that can build large ocean-going submarines in Itayana. The design process correlated with the industrial re-armament of the plant, and it was complicated by more and more ambitious requirements regarding armament, sonars, physical signatures, and automation, as well as complications in the development of domestic weapon systems and sensors. It has been reported that engineers from the Burning Sun Initiative have aided in the design effort, but so far there is no solid evidence of that.

The design was completed by 2009, receiving the designation Project 04261, and the first two boats were laid down in early 2010. Construction involved expensive and extensive contracts from several countries such as Sante Reze, Orun Redisus, Alanahr, Velikoslavia, Elatia and Zacapican. Both boats were launched in 2014, receiving numerical indexes instead of names in line with the established naming conventions. The sea trials of the first pair lasted for three years and were succinctly described as "highly problematic". Both submarines entered service in mid-2017.

In 2021 it was revealed that the fourth pair of submarines were constructed under an improved design, designated Project 04262. The chief designer stated that the primary goal was to incorporate mature domestic equipment that was originally intended for the first six submarines. She did not reveal whether construction of Project 04261 will be continued should the systems fail to match the expectations.

Available public information suggests that the Navy plans to receive from 12 to 16 of these submarines by 2030.

Design

Project 04260 is a family of large ocean-going submarines designed for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations. Its single-hulled design is optimized for underwater movement. The superstructure acts as a hydrodynamic cover for additional equipment and the sail forms a base for various masts. Notable design features are a smoothly faired transition from the hull superstructure to the sail, and the "X" arrangement of the stern planes, assumed to improve the maneuverability of the large boat. It has a crew of 45, of which 21 are officers, and is designed for the endurance of up to 120 days.

The submarine is powered by diesel-electric transmission and a water jet. While the lack of primary sources on the water jet suggests its domestic origins, available information indicates that different submarines use different engines from several manufacturers from Alanahr and Zacapican. Despite the variety, it is stated that all submarines are capable of achieving 15 knots while surfaced and 25 knots while underwater. The safe depth was stated to be within 400 meters.

The submarine's primary armament consists of four 660mm torpedo tubes. The choice of the larger torpedoes was dictated by torpedo design bureaus and justified with a significantly larger warhead, improved physical signatures, and more sophisticated guidance systems. The submarine is also armed with two 324mm internal torpedo tubes and four external 324mm torpedo launchers. Information on either 324mm or 660mm torpedoes of Itayana design is sparse at best, but it is stated that the submarine is intended to carry 16 larger and 20 smaller reloads.

The electronic equipment of the submarine is centered around the White Whale Combat Integration and Submarine Management suite. It is stated to allow high degrees of automation, reducing the need for additional crew. The underwater detection suite consists of a spherical bow sonar, six flank arrays, a towed antenna, two arrays on the sail, and several antennas of the wake detection system. Surface and aerial detection are done using an X-band air search radar and a SIGINT and electronic warfare suite. It is possible that starting from the fourth pair (HA-403 and HA-387) the spherical sonar is to be replaced with a conformal antenna of unknown origins.

Operational history

In May 2018, HA-240 and HA-375 were observed participating in exercises with the Zacapine Navy in south Oorupaqi.

In May 2019, HA-240 and HA-434 were stated to participate in exercises with the Zacapine Navy in south Oorupaqi, like the prevous year. In June 2019, HA-375 and HA-193 were observed in the west Vespanian ocean near Kayatman Sea. During the deployment, HA-193 appeared to have suffered mechanical troubles, causing it to lay adrift for two days with HA-375 escorting it. Both submarines were observed by the navies of the Association of Ozeros Nations.

In March 2020, all four commissioned submarines were observed in the Salacian ocean, participating in a joint exercise with the Royal Redisan Navy. After the exercises, HA-434 visited Elatia, followed by Mutulese and Belfrasian navies through the Kayamuca Sea.

In May 2021, HA-434 and HA-193 were observed in the eastern Makria ocean, while HA-240 and HA-375 visited the mainland Sante Reze.

In April and May 2022, all six submarines in service made a voyage to the west Vespanian ocean, their mission unknown.

Variants

• Project 04261. Baseline design. 6 boats completed.
• Project 04262. Improved design. 4 boats under construction or on trials. Available information suggests a higher ratio of domestic equipment. Details are unknown.

Units

Project 04261

Number	Shipyard	Project	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Status
HA-240	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04261	01.02.2010	05.03.2014	11.06.2017	Active
HA-375	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04261	01.02.2010	05.03.2014	11.06.2017	Active
HA-434	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04261	06.03.2014	15.06.2017	21.03.2019	Active
HA-193	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04261	06.03.2014	15.06.2017	21.03.2019	Active
HA-278	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04261	16.06.2017	11.11.2019	04.06.2021	Active
HA-182	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04261	16.06.2017	11.11.2019	04.06.2021	Active

Project 04262

Number	Shipyard	Project	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Status
HA-403	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04262	12.11.2019	04.04.2021	N/A	Undergoing sea trials
HA-387	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04262	12.11.2019	04.04.2021	N/A	Undergoing sea trials
HA-169	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04262	05.04.2021	N/A	N/A	Under construction
HA-237	Shipbuilding Plant No.143	04262	05.04.2021	N/A	N/A	Under construction

Operators

• Itayana Navy ─ 6 units + 4 under construction