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The Italian Company "Fincantieri SpA" and the German Company "ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems" announced recently that they are entering a Strategic Partnership to support the Horizon III Military Modernization Program of the Philippine Navy (PN).
Their Agreement will focus on the supply of U212 Near Future Submarines (NFS). In addition to Submarine Delivery, their Partnership will include Training, Logistics and Doctrinal Assistance from the Italian Navy.
Although they didn’t say it directly, I think based on their above Statements it is very clear that they are offering the Type 212 NFS Submarine to the PN, which is planning to acquire one for their Modernization. So this is the Reason for all these recent Activities of the PN with the Italian Navy, it looks like they are willing to help the PN in various Ways if the PN gets the Type 212 Sub.
The Type 212 Sub is a more advanced and a more recent Version than the Submarines that South Korea (SK) is offering, which is based on the Type 209, a very successful Model for Germany, by the Way. Of course SK has vastly improved and modernized the Type 209, but it is like the F-16 Fighting Falcon Fighter Aircraft Argument where the basic Design is from the 1970s even with their new Block 70/72 Version.
The difference between the F-16 and the Type 209 though is that Submarines are naturally stealthy, whether they are the older Type 209 or newer Type 212. The same can’t be said of the F-16, it is far cry from the F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter Aircraft.
European Products though are notorious also for being more expensive, so I think it will boil down to whether they can at least offer the same Features on their Subs for the same Price Point? Like for Example, if their Competitors offer Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Technology with their Subs, can Fincantieri and ThyssenKrupp offer the same also?
One Thing unique about these Type 212s are their non-Magnetic Hulls, which makes Magnetic Mines ineffective against them because, of course, they won’t activate when near their Hulls. But the last time I read about this, they were only offering it to the German Navy and not to Export Customers.
It would certainly be a plus if they change their Policy and include that Feature in their Offer, but only as an additional Feature and not as a Compromise, like say, their Subs won’t have AIP but it will have a non-Magnetic Hull instead. No, that won’t do for me.
Another relatively unique Feature of these Type 212 Subs is its ability to fire Surface to Air Missiles (SAM), and it’s not just any Missile, it is the excellent “Infra-Red Imaging System-Tail/Thrust vector-controlled (IRIS-T)”. There are even plans to put a 30 mm cannon on the Type 212, but I don’t know if those SAMs and Cannon will be an important consideration for the PN.
The only Thing that sorts of bothers me about the Type 212 is there is no clear reference on what Anti-Ship or Land-Attack Missiles it can use. There are References that said it can fire those, but nothing Specific has been mentioned.
But again, not sure if the PN will also want that as an important Point for the Subs they intend to acquire. Overall, I like the Type 212, it is an outstanding Submarine, particularly its Sonar System which includes Towed, Flank and Circular Arrays.
But in the End I feel it remains to be seen if they can compete with the same or more Features with other Competitors like SK for the same or at least similar Price. Good luck to them though, I hope they make it also.
Here is the Link to the Article at the “Defense Industry Europe” Website: https://defence-industry.eu/fincantieri-and-thyssenkrupp-marine-systems-partner-to-support-philippine-navy-modernisation/
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| Italy’s Fincantieri and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems are offering their Type 212NFS Submarine to the Philippine Navy |
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