The delivery of the new submarine S-81 Isaac Peral to the Spanish Navy next Thursday, November 30, the first designed and produced entirely in Spain and one of the most advanced in the world among submarines with non-nuclear propulsion, is not only a milestone for our nation’s Armed Forces, but from an industrial perspective, this places us in a small and select group of only 11 countries with the technological and logistical capacity to build their own submarines from concept to delivery.

So, Spain joins the United States and Britain, Germany, China, France, Japan, Russia, Sweden, South Korea, which can design and produce their own conventional or nuclear submarines. In this group we must also include Taiwan, which last September presented Haikun, its first completely nationwide. Meanwhile, Brazil is currently building its first nuclear submarine, the SN Álvaro Alberto (SN-10), by the state naval company Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN), although this is a strategic partnership between France and Brazil that also includes nuclear submarines. total technology transfer, so that even though it is produced, the design and technology are not its own.

Navantia, together with the Navy, has been able to produce a new generation of conventional seagoing submarines, of completely Spanish design and construction. It stands out for its third generation anaerobic AIP propulsion called BEST (Bio-Ethanol Stealth Technology), which consists of a bioethanol reformer to produce hydrogen, which then reacts with oxygen in a fuel cell to produce electricity. This system allows you to extend its autonomy in immersion for up to three weeks, which significantly reduces its detectability.

It can be operated with a reduced crew (32 sailors and 8 places to accommodate additional personnel), reaching a diving speed of over 19 knots, and a maximum diving rate of over 300 m. It is around 80 meters long, 7 meters in diameter and has a displacement of around 3,000 tonnes when submerged. This also includes combat system developed by Navantia Sistemas in collaboration with the American company Lockheed Martinwith a unique capacity (for NATO and the EU) among conventional submarines with similar characteristics, to launch tactical land attack missile.

But why was it important for Spain to have submarines? From a technological point of view, it is very important for our country to strengthen its strategic autonomy by becoming one of the few countries that designs and builds its own submarines. Navantia becomes the Technical Design Authority.

S-80 represents technological leap for Spanish submarine weaponswith an integrated platform control system, combat system and weapons system with tactical missile launching capability, a unique capability among NATO non-nuclear submarines.

However, beyond the mere technological level, Submarines are considered a weapons system with strategic characteristics for the capability they provide to maintain a covert presence in remote areas of operations, even before a crisis occurs, with the aim of obtaining intelligence information, protecting, if necessary, ground troop deployments and projecting naval power ashore.

As if all this wasn’t enough, they had enough suitable as a deterrent force, as it is able to keep enemy ships away from a certain area only if a submarine is suspected there.

Additionally, they add the ability to selectively disrupt maritime traffic, both along the most predictable routes (preferably in necessary straits) and by blockading enemy ports.

And the last is the possibility of bombarding the territory with land attack missiles, where anaerobic submersibles are very suitable because they are relatively undetectable.

This is the reason why they are a key element and why many countries are aiming to have or modernize the power plants they already have with air-independent power generation systems that give them greater permanent capacity in diving, without the need to board a submarine. periscope level.

According to a report published in the magazine “Paix et Sécurité Internationales”, edited by the ‘Jean Monnet’ Chair and Center of Excellence, of the University of Cádiz (UCA Publishing), “In the Mediterranean, eight countries have submarines in their fleets, in addition to sharing its waters with non-coastal forces that maintain its existence on a quasi-permanent basis. Its relevance is clearly seen in the owner’s desire to modernize and improve his units and to obtain this capacity for those who do not yet have it. Spain, with the S-80+, will increase its capacity for underwater action, taking into account the technological leap that this new series represents, although Spain will need more units planned if it is to maintain its active presence. times on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar”.

The eight countries are France, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Israel, Algeria and Egypt, apart from Spain, only France has nuclear submarines.

Based on the report above, In total, among all the countries mentioned above, we can talk about more than fifty submarines,” which had to share the stage with an unspecified number of submarines, although no less than a dozen, from other powers beyond their shores. This modernization of the Navy’s Submarine Weapons was constant, coupled with a desire for technological independence, which led some of them to devise their own designs, as was the case in Spain, Italy, and Turkey. However, at present, it can be said that Germany reigns supreme when it comes to submarine manufacturing and design in the Mediterranean.”

At the same time, other coastal countries do not have it, as is the case Morocco, they aspire to get itespecially since Algeria does have one.

The concentration of submarines in limited seas such as the Mediterranean leads to the conclusion that “having a beach and not having submarines – or not enough – is a strategic weakness, to which we must add operational availability in order to have units at all times. that can meet the specific needs of each country.”

On the other hand, we must not forget that among the countries mentioned above, not all countries have submarines with power generation systems that do not depend on air, giving them a greater ability to remain underwater, without the need to climb up. periscope level.

“Three countries in the Mediterranean region already have this system and two other countries are in the process of acquiring it. The ability to project naval power on land, with anti-surface missiles, is another capability demonstrated so far only by Israel and Algeria, and only the former at long range. Other countries, including Spain, will be able to hit targets close to land with their anti-ship missiles.”