[By Guancha Observer Network, Mountain Cat]

According to a report by the US Naval Institute News (USNI News) on the 17th, the Italian renowned shipbuilding company Fincantieri signed an engineering cooperation agreement with the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) on Wednesday (the 16th). According to the press release from Fincantieri, this cooperation is part of a broader strategic partnership aimed at providing advanced submarine solutions to the Philippine Navy. Under this cooperation, the two companies will jointly offer the U212 series conventional submarines to the Philippine Navy.

(Photo) U212A Conventional Submarine, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) Company

The "Naval News" website reported earlier this year that at a meeting of the Philippine Management Association on February 12, Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner publicly expressed hope that "we could have at least two submarines," which marked the first time in recent years that the Philippines explicitly expressed a need for submarines. However, prior to this, despite a series of people including President Marcos Jr. and senior naval officials showing varying degrees of expectation for acquiring submarines, the official stance was still to prioritize developing anti-submarine capabilities over acquiring submarines. Last September, former Philippine Navy Commander Vice Admiral Toribio Adach stated in an interview with "Naval News" that although the Philippines hoped to acquire submarines in the future, it was "not a current priority" but rather necessary to strengthen anti-submarine capabilities, sensors, and even naval maintenance facilities and shipyards.

Since 2012, the Philippines has implemented the "Horizon Program" to modernize its armed forces. The first two phases, "Horizon 1" and "Horizon 2," included purchasing light frigates from South Korea, FA-50 fighters, and shore-to-ship missiles from India, among other equipment. The latest phase, "Horizon 3," is reportedly aimed at addressing procurement shortfalls over the past 13 years, with a budget of $34 billion, set to continue until the 2030s. According to the latest developments, the Philippine Navy plans to seek two attack submarines, along with support maintenance and base infrastructure, within a budget of $1.7 billion or less.

After General Brawner proposed the need for conventional submarines, several foreign suppliers expressed interest in participating in the procurement project, including Naval Group of France and Hanwha Ocean of South Korea. Among these, France is likely to offer the "Scorpène" class, which is under 2,000 tons, while South Korea may offer the DSME-2000 export model based on the "Island-class Ancheon-ho" developed by Daewoo Shipbuilding (now acquired by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries). Both France and South Korea are also expected to provide comprehensive financing solutions for the construction of bases, local maintenance facilities, and personnel training as part of this arms deal. Additionally, the Spanish shipbuilding company Navantia presented a proposal for the S-80 conventional submarine, which has also participated in the bidding process for the P-75I conventional submarine project of the Indian Navy.

France's "Scorpène"-class submarine won the order for the P-75 conventional submarine project in India, renamed as the "Kalvari"-class submarine in the Indian Navy

Korean display model of the DSME-2000 export-type submarine

Navantia-built S-80 conventional submarine for the Spanish Navy, S-81 "Isaac Peral"

The Fincantieri and ThyssenKrupp companies involved in this cooperation bid had previously collaborated on the U212 series conventional submarines, specifically the "Near Future Submarine" (NFS) project for the Italian Navy. This project plans to build four U212NFS submarines and two slightly larger U212NFS EVO submarines for the Italian Navy. The contract for the first NFS submarine was signed on February 26, 2021, and the keel laying took place on January 11, 2022. The four NFS submarines are scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2032, while the subsequent two NFS EVO submarines are expected to be completed and delivered before 2036. It is likely that the submarines offered to the Philippines this time will be modified versions of the Italian Navy's NFS submarines, though it remains unclear whether they will be U212NFS or U212NFS EVO types.

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494548698027622950/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone, and you are welcome to express your opinions using the "like/dislike" buttons below.