Observer-class submarine
 Observer Class submarine
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Observer Class Attack Submarine |
| Builders: | Arthuristan Dynamics |
| Operators: | Commonwealth Navy, |
| Preceded by: | Upholder-class submarine, Oberon-class submarine |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Attack Submarine |
| Displacement: | 2,900 tonnes (surface), 4,200 (submerged) |
| Length: | 84m |
| Beam: | 9.1m |
| Draught: | 8.5m |
| Installed power: | 1 shaft, 2x Apollo Motors Wayfarer 12V diesel engines, 8,000shp submerged |
| Speed: | 20kn submerged |
| Range: | Roughly 9,000 nautical miles at snorkeling depth |
| Capacity: | 65 |
| Sensors and processing systems: | Arthuristan Dynamics T-10 sonar suite: 1x bow array, 2x3 flank array, 1x towed array |
| Armament: | 6 x 21-inch torpedo tubes |
The Observer-class is a class of diesel-electric submarines. It entered active service in the mid-2000's with the Commonwealth Navy.
The main innovation of the Observer-class over its predecessor is in its propulsion systems. Emerging technology has become available in greatly extending the range of conventional-powered submarines. The Observer was originally planned to utilise Stirling engines in providing Air-independent propulsion. However, designers soon realised that, if they were to utilise the space intended for the Stirling engines for large banks of new generation lithium-ion batteries, a significant increase in endurance over legacy submarines could be achieved, whilst not requiring the level of complexity inherent in an AIP design. This tactical issue was decided when, in a series of endurance trials, it was found that a legacy Upholder-class submarine only required a few minutes of snorkelling within each 24-hour period in order to keep its engine running. A submarine caught during one of these brief periods would be 'dead unlucky'; the admiralty considered this to be a very unlikely event. This was the configuration which was ultimately implemented as these vessels were built.
Observer Class vessels are armed with six 21-inch torpedo tubes, which are compatible with most common submarine-launched weapons on the international market. Those in Commonwealth Navy service are armed with Spearfish torpedo, Aydin CAPTOR Mine, as well as anti-ship missiles such as the ACM-2 Renove and ACM-13 Lilith and the anti-helicopter missile IDAS.
The Observer also retains the traditional diesel submarine advantage of being significantly quieter than nuclear attack submarines. The stealthiness of the design is enhanced by its coating of anechoic tiles, as well as advanced sound-insulation technology which isolates vibration at the interfaces between equipment, the hull of the submarine and the deck itself, thereby preventing machinery noises from propagating. It is particularly adept at operating in littoral waters, where the cluttered sonar environment of the coastline complements the inherent stealthiness of the diesel submarine. The Observer possesses X-form fins for enhanced manoeuvrability when operating near the seabed in shallow waters.