NAVANTIA’s AIP Triumphs in Rigorous Factory Acceptance Trials

Navantia has triumphantly fulfilled the factory acceptance evaluations of the AIP BEST (Bio-Ethanol Stealth Technology) system for the S-80 submarines, at a testing facility unparalleled globally.

This achievement, vital for the S-80 program, has granted Navantia the opportunity to finally assess the performance and operational prowess of the AIP in a simulated operational setting, namely on land but with a high degree of authenticity to the rigorous conditions that the system must endure during an actual mission. This milestone has been made feasible due to the testing establishments constructed at the Cartagena Shipyard specifically for this aim. These facilities possess unique features in the defense industry, such as simulating the vessel’s operational status and its speed of progression underwater or the capability to evaluate the entire section of the submarine that encompasses the system – measuring 12 meters in length and weighing around 400 tonnes – prior to its attachment to the robust hull.

The accomplishment reached in this milestone permits the AIP to be onboarded on the S-83 submarine, which, as anticipated, will be the first to incorporate this novel serial capability. The initial two submarines designated for delivery to the Navy, the Isaac Peral (S-81) and the Narciso Monturiol (S-82), have a design primed to accommodate this technology during their first significant hull integration.

Navantia’s AIP BEST system is a key advancement included in the S-80 class submarines, equipping conventional diesel-electric submarines with unparalleled tactical abilities.

Traditional – non-nuclear – submarines are obligated to navigate near the surface after a certain duration to replenish their batteries via their diesel engines in a maneuver known as snorkelling, where they are easily spotted by adversaries and particularly susceptible. AIP-enhanced submarines can evade this danger by recharging their batteries while submerged at profound depths, cruising in AIP mode, significantly enhancing their underwater endurance.

The groundbreaking technology employed in the AIP BEST system is founded on fuel cells and belongs to the so-called third-generation systems, which utilize hydrogen produced onboard from a fuel – bioethanol, in this instance – instead of solely stored hydrogen for their functionality. This evolution permits Spanish submarines to possess a greater quantity of onboard energy, allowing them to operate submerged for up to three weeks with signatures comparable to those of pure electric navigation utilizing batteries.

The advancement of this transformative technology has demanded an exceptional effort from the national industry and from Navantia, following a decade of dedicated work, and positions the Company advantageously for the commercialization of the S-80 submarine in the global market.