잠수함 214급 잠수함, P75(I) 프로그램 승자 유력

[위종민]

TKMS-마자곤 조선소의 214급(214NG/214I)이 나반티아/L&T의 S80을 제치고 인도 해군이 6척의 재래식 잠수함을 조달하는 P75(I) 프로그램의 승자로 선정될 것 같다고 합니다. 우월한 AIP 체계가 승리의 원인이었다고 하네요. 

Indian Navy's P75(I) submarine program progresses - Naval News

Rendering of a Type 214NG submarine. TKMS image.

Indian Navy’s P75(I) submarine program progresses

TKMS has announced that its partner, Mazagon Dockyard Ltd. (MDL), has informed the company that their joint bid for the P75(I) project—comprising six conventional submarines—has been deemed compliant by the Indian Ministry of Defence and is now progressing to the next stage of eval‎uation.

Adithya Krishna Menon  29 Jan 2025

MDL - TKMS bid selected for further processing

Meanwhile the competing bid by Indian conglomerate L&T & Spain’s Navantia was reportedly found non-compliant with requirements. The S80 submarine was on offer by this partnership, but a lack of “sea-proven AIP” is reportedly the primary reason for the disqualification. With this, the MDL – TKMS bid is now the sole choice available to the MoD. However, the type of submarine on offer was not confirmed by either firm.

Earlier, MDL had confirmed news circulating in Indian media regarding the submarine projects P75(I) and P75(Additional Submarine). Specifically, MDL confirmed that the commercial bid submitted by MDL had been opened by the MoD for further processing in a stock exchange filing.

In another filing, MDL clarified that there have been no negotiations with the Indian Navy about the P75(I) project and provided a timeline regarding recent advancements.

• Price bid submission to MoD on August 1, 2023
• Communication with respect to Field Eval‎uation Trails being successful on July 26, 2024
• Opening of Commercial Bid by MoD on January 16, 2025
• Invitation received on January 23, 2025 for the first round of commercial negotiations to be held on January 27, 2025.

Regular Naval News contributor Alex Luck said about the design: “We know Type 214NG or alternatively 214I is the proposed design.”
“It would mirror the outer hull shaping of 212CD. It would presumably integrate either the German AIP or whatever the Indians want sourced from DRDO,” he added.

The P75(I) project brings India back to where it started, with Germany’s HDW forming a partnership in the 1980s with MDL to build HDW Type 209 Class SSKs. Four submarines were built and continue to be operated by the Indian Navy as the Shishumar Class.

About the importance of P75(I) for the German shipbuilder, Alex Luck commented: “I think its an important win for TKMS to keep the 214 development path active and in that regard is most valuable. That being said Indian procurements tend to be drawn out and fraught with management risk, hence I think its an important, but complex event for Germany.”

P75(I) aims to secure transfer of technology and technical assistance to achieve local content goals and eventually build and design India’s own submarines. However, the project has been delayed and India has begun working on its own indigenous design of SSKs under Project 76.

In the interim, the Navy is left with an aging fleet of Shishumar & Sindhughosh class submarines from Russia, recently augmented by the induction of six Kalvari class Scorpene submarines under Project 75, also built by MDL.

To prevent further shortfall in numbers, India is finalizing a deal with France to build three additional Scorpene submarines by Naval Group at MDL. MDL stated that for the P75 (Additional Submarine) project, commercial negotiations are in process. Recently, the MoD also signed deals for integration of torpedoes and a DRDO AIP module with Kalvari class.

[강준구]

입찰 업체 모두가 철수(withdrawn)한 줄 알았는데, 아니었나 보네요. HDW도 그 인력과 시설을 유지하려면 수출이 일정 규모 유지 되어야 하니, 어쩔 수 없을 것 같습니다만, 과연 인도와의 딜을 통해 수익을 얼마나 가져갈지는..

[위종민]

1980년대 209급 프로그램 추진했던 인력들은 다들 은퇴했을 텐데요. 기사에서도 대놓고 management risk를 강조하는 걸 보면 인도와 뭔가를 하는 게 녹록하진 않은 것 같습니다. 조카도 인도 출장 몇 번 다녀오더니 사람들은 똑똑한데 제대로 굴러가는 게 없다고 한탄하던데... ㅎㅎㅎ

[강준구]

아시다시피, 여느 제조업과 마찬가지로 잠수함 산업을 유지하려면, 설계=건조 설비와 인력을 일정 수준으로 유지해야 합니다. 영국도 업홀더급을 소수 건조 후, 원잠만을 건조하다 보니 그 산업 유지에 꽤 애를 먹고 있는 중이구요.
독일은 자국 수요가 많지 않아 수출 시장을 지속적으로 공략해야 하는데, 209가 많이 팔리던 시절은 꽤 많은 수를 자국에서 직접 건조하였으나, 214부터는 가장 많은 수를 사갔던 한국과 터키가 자국에서 면허 생산을 하게 되었으니, 여러 모로 규모 유지에 대한 걱정을 할 수 밖에 없을 것 같습니다.

[위종민]

이탈리아가 사 간 212급도 핀칸티에리가 건조해버렸고, 그리스도 1번함만 독일에서 건조하고 2번함부터는 HDW의 그리스 조선소에서 건조했네요. 포르투갈은 2척만 건조했고..

장기적으로 바라보면 MLU 안 하고 18년~20년마다 딱딱 잠수함 교체해버리는 일본 방식이 국방비는 많이 들어도 관련 산업과 해군 인력 양성 유지하는 데 더 안정적이지 않나 싶습니다. 자국에서 2년 1척 규모로 9척 유지하면서 사이사이 해외 생산 물량 뽑아내는 식으로.. ㅎㅎㅎ