Features
As of 2008, the Gotland-class attack submarine is one of the most modern submarines of the Swedish Navy in service, mainly designed for submarine missions such as anti-ship/anti-submarine warfare, collecting of intelligence (communications intelligence (COMINT), electronic signals intelligence (ELINT)), forward surveillance, special operations and mine-laying tasks.
On the water surface, the submarine is powered by two sets of MTU engines. While submerged, the Kockums-built Stirling engine Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system is used to drive a 75 kilowatts (101 shp) generator for either propulsion or charging the batteries. A Stirling engine is particularly well suited for a submarine because the engine is near silent and can use the surrounding sea water as a heat sink to increase efficiency. Submerged endurance is dependent on the amount of liquid oxygen stored on-board and is described as "weeks". The class is characterized by its low acoustic signatures, extreme shock resistance and a competent combat system.
Kockums touts extreme maneuverability for this class due to the hull design and a well-placed X rudder. The X rudder provides four control surfaces, along with two mounted on the sail, which enables sharp turns and the ability to operate very close to the seabed. Ship automation and computerized steering allow a single operator to steer the submarine in depth and course, which also results in a smaller crew complement, leading to good accommodation standards and low operating costs.
The class has many features that enhance stealth, helping it to remain undetected. All shipboard machinery are isolated and mounted on rubber dampeners to reduce vibrations and noises; a hydrodynamic hull design to reduce noise, infrared signature, and active sonar response; counteracting its magnetic signature with 27 independent electromagnets; short circuiting extremely low frequency (ELF) electrical fields; various hull coatings to reduce active sonar response; and coating the mast with radar absorbing material. Combined with the near silent operation of the Stirling generator and slow turning propeller to prevent cavitation, the boats are very difficult to detect underwater, especially in their normal area of operations, the Baltic Sea.
Read more about this topic: Gotland Class Submarine
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