Light, or train "at the end of the tunnel" for submarines & yards;
October 27, 2009



The Deputy Minister of Defense P. Beglitis officially confirmed the intention of receipt of the three submarines Type 214 Greek construction, but not the German construction PAPANIKOLIS. It is able to key contradictions and risks for the Navy.

More specifically, in an interview to radio station "Athens 984 'and journalists Kottaki M. and B. Paiko on 20 October, Mr. Beglitis stated categorically: "Certainly the submarine was present problems will not get the Navy. [...] We based the relevant rapporteurs of the Navy and the yen will not receive it. We will continue the policy it had followed the last government and the Minister then, Meimarakis. Course will continue and finish construction of three submarines in the yard of Scaramanga, not a problem because they had incorporated changes and modifications within the technical and operational capacity was described in the Convention ... "

For the first time displayed the official reference to "change and modification" of three submarines of Scaramanga in relation to PAPANIKOLIS creating reasonable questions based on the timing of construction of submarines. In the original schedule, the launch of the last three submarines held just 12 months after the unification of the 5 sections of resistant vessel. The launching of the submarine PIPINOS held on February 15, 2007, four and a half months late to the forecast schedule for October 1, 2006. This delay probably was the result mainly of the initial series of transformations-fitting holes in the ballast valves, expansion of the free slot drainage flooding superstructure deck fitting inside the fences along the point-after for excessive roll angle during testing at sea of PAPANIKOLIS . But not impossible to also delayed the consolidation of the endurance vessel, which was scheduled for September 30, 2005. Any "changes and modifications" after the unification of resistant board certainly can be applied retrospectively PAPANIKOLIS. However, acceptance tests at sea where the last-recorded remarks, including the heel roll-out in the summer of 2006, well after the consolidation of sections resistant vessel PIPINOS!

When the Chief of Navy Vice Admiral C. KARAMALIKI HN revealed the intention to reject the PAPANIKOLIS to accredited authors of the Ministry of National Defense on May 27, 2009, none reported for "changes and modifications" of the next three submarines. Instead stressed that the most recent series of transformations-PAPANIKOLIS between March and June 2009 - removed all technical comments, for instance by limiting the roll angle 18 °. Thus, the A / Navy denied in advance by the deputy minister!

To justify the abandonment of PAPANIKOLIS, A / Navy said it will soon be required to replace the battery cost 4 million and that it is not clear for the HN situation underwater after successive transformations to eliminate the comments. Invoked and even more reasons ... prestige of RL, because the submarine is now ... "Discredited"? Thus the A / Navy argued essentially that the shipyard HDW, having built from 1959 on the 74 submarines in Kiel and bearing repair, retrofit and upgrade dozens, committed ... defects in the conversion of PAPANIKOLIS! At the same time the A / YEN and the Deputy Minister discount by accepting the first, second and third submarine built in Greek history and the OCEAN (S118) after the complete reconstruction of the Greek Shipyards SA, under the Neptune II, always under the supervision of ... botched HDW!

Recalled that only PAPANIKOLIS was the most recent series of transformations to reduce the roll angle, including without limitation the elimination of cooling gas tank weighing 5 tons of the superstructure, which was replaced by a double wall exhaust conduit, with intermediate water circulation for cooling. The rejection of PAPANIKOLIS essentially removes the ground behind the intention to accept the next three Type 214 submarines.

Of course, on 9 January 2009 the A / Navy stated to accredited authors MOD that there remained only a revision of the contract within two months or three months to implement the final changes to other submarines and PAPANIKOLIS officially received in the first half of June !

In the aforementioned interview, Mr. Beglitis also stated that "... We can get the price of sale" of PAPANIKOLIS, as there "... Conditions in the contract that can be activated for such trades."

Recalled that the Convention 012V/00 building three submarines Type 214 was signed on February 15, 2000 and amounted to 430.84 billion drachmas ( 1.264,39 million). On May 31, 2002 signed the Amendment No. 3 to this contract, worth 409 million for the construction of another submarine. The sum amounted to 1.673,43 million, so the average cost of each submarine was 418,35 million if the price of the sale to a third party is around 350 million, as mentioned in some reports, the Greek state would suffer almost 70 million! Is this legitimate? And who exactly will take responsibility?

It is acceptable to the HN, the loss of a submarine of at least 418,35 million, a loss of tens of millions, not to overload the Greek government with the cost ... 4 million of the battery?

Eventually, "... Competent rapporteurs of the Navy and the yen ..." to reject the PAPANIKOLIS, just mask the enormous responsibilities 'Competent' and the previous government for the total deadlock-submarine programs leading to termination of the contract on September 21 by the contractors-and it is digestible by this government, for reasons of financial and liquidity facility. For the loss of a fully functional and axiomachou submarine, who cares?

As for the future of the HSY Scaramanga, the envisaged solutions with the acquisition of companies in financial vulnerability mildly, without prejudice to the return to the era of "thalassodaneion 'banks under state control, illegal state subsidies, fines by the European Commission.
http://www.hellenicdefense.gr/eidiseis/e2009/e091027a.html

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Turkiye Turklerindir (Mustafa Kemal Ataturk)
Power is the ultimate afrodisiak (Henry kissinger)

350 million euros, sounds about right. One of these type-214 costs apporx 500 million US dollars, if a quick currency conversion is done between EURO and USD, 350 million euro is approx 520 million USD.

Well, I would have liked to see all 4 U-214's in HN service but 3 is acceptable.

Time to order the two U-209/1400AIP's we discussed with the Germans.

Good. We get the three Greek built subs that WORK PROPERLY and someone else-probably the PAKIstanis (LOL) get the German built one that's a piece of chit.

An equitable resolution to this matter.