The Italian shipbuilding company DRASS has started the construction of a small submarine of the DG-160 class at its plant in Romania for an undisclosed customer. The construction site is located in the industrial area of the Romanian town of Giurgiu, which is situated 600 kilometers away from the Black Sea.
Photographs from the possible construction site of such a submarine and the tactical and technical characteristics of the DG-160 project are available in open access.
Read more: Ukraine's Maritime Drones for Delivering Mines Pose Threat to russian Fleet in Sevastopol
This was written by military-maritime analyst H I Sutton in his blog.
So far, there have been no confirmed instances of the use of such submarines in modern naval warfare. Therefore, this story becomes more intriguing and interesting.
DG-160 Specification
- Displacememt: 141 tons surfaced, 169 tons submerged
- Length: 32.24 m
- Width: 2.5 m hull diameter, 4.12 m with hydroplanes
- Height: 6.45 m
- Crew: 7 + 8 PAX
- Range: 2,000 nm, 160 nm on batteries
- Speed: 10 kt max, 5 kt cruising, 8.5 kt surfaced
- Operating depth: TBC
- Armament: 2 x 533mm torpedoes standard, plus 2 x 533mm torpedoes or 6 x mines in lateral tubes as mission-specific load
- Other: 2 x SDVs or up to 6 x inflatable boats
- Equipment: Passive sonar, active sonar, SWR Intercept Sonar, Radar Warning Receiver, TV periscope, Underwater Communications, Ring-Laster gyrocompass, echosounder, doppler velocity log, Electromagnetic log.
Regarding the use of the DG-160 mini-submarine (regardless of the actual recipient), we can make some assumptions.
Thanks to its small size (in terms of hull length and displacement), such a ship will be inconspicuous for the patrol aviation of the russian Black Sea Fleet. The ability to carry two torpedoes and six naval mines is a great opportunity to conduct covert placement of sea mines. And thus, do everything to ensure that the russian fleet never returns to Sevastopol.
Read more: Ukrainian Drone Commander, Callsign 13: We Will Not Rest Until the Black Sea Is Free Again
