Moray-class submarine

Moray^[a] was the name of a proposed new class of submarines developed by the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM).^[5][6] While a Moray class submarine was never actually built, the detailed design of the submarine class was fully completed.^[7]

Class overview
Name	Moray class
Builders	Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, Rotterdam
Preceded by	Zwaardvis class
Cost	ƒ220 million per unit (1989)[1]
Planned	2[2]
Cancelled	2[2]
General characteristics
Type	Submarine
Displacement	1,100 t (1,083 long tons) 1,400 t (1,378 long tons) 1,800 t (1,772 long tons)
Length	55.7 m (182 ft 9 in) 64 m (210 ft 0 in)[3] 75.9 m (249 ft 0 in)
Beam	6.4 m (21 ft 0 in)[3]
Draft	5.5 m (18 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric Air-independent propulsion (AIP)
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)[3]
Endurance	65 days[4]
Test depth	>300 m (980 ft)
Crew	26 to 41
Armament	6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes

Design

A Moray-class submarine could be built in several sizes depending on the type of submarine that was needed.^[8] For smaller submarines that would patrol off the coast, there was a design that ranged from 1,100 tons to 1,400 tons displacement, whereas oceangoing submarines ranged from 1,800 tons to potentially 2,000 tons displacement.^[9][10] Besides customization, RDM also offered three standard types of Moray-class submarines which were called the 1100, 1400 and 1800.^[11] The number stood for roughly the amount of tonnage of the submarine. The three types had a length of 55.7 meters (182 ft 9 in) (1100), 64 m (210 ft 0 in) (1400) and 75.9 m (249 ft 0 in) (1800), while the beam was 6.4 m (21 ft 0 in) and the draft 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in).^{[citation needed]} The smallest submarine, the 1100, had space for a crew of 26.^[12] The 1800 had space for a crew of 41.^[1]

While the Moray class was derived from the Walrus class, it had several differences with that class.^[13][6] The main difference was that the size of a Moray-class submarine was significantly smaller than a submarine of the Walrus class, which displaced around 2,800 tons.^[14][15] Another difference was that the hull of the Moray class was, unlike both the Zwaardvis and Walrus-class submarines, not in the shape of a tear drop.^[1] The more straight-lined hull of the Moray class made it possible to extend or shorten the submarine.^[2] It also allowed the insertion of a hull section that included an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system.^[2] The insertion of the AIP module would increase the tonnage of the submarine by 200 tons.^[4] A submarine of the Moray class could also dive less deep than a Walrus-class submarine.^[16] The Moray-class submarines had an estimated diving depth of more than 300 m (980 ft).^[1][11] The Moray 1800 had the same amount of battery cells as the Walrus-class submarines and an endurance of 65 days.^[4] When it comes to armaments, the Moray class was equipped with six 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes that could launch a variety of weapons, such as Mark 48 torpedoes and Harpoon missiles.^[3]

The price of a Moray-class submarine was estimated to cost around 220 million Dutch guilders in 1989.^[1]

Electric Moray 1800

In June 2018, a concept of a fully electric submarine based on the Moray 1800 design was presented at the submarine symposium UDT in Glasgow.^[17] In the revealed concept, the diesel engines and all related equipment were removed from the Moray 1800 design together with the lead-acid batteries; these components were instead replaced with lithium batteries.^[18][17] The lithium batteries allowed the 1,800-ton submarine to stay at sea for three weeks before needing to return to recharge its batteries.^[18] In addition, there were several advantages and disadvantages to using only lithium batteries to power a submarine.^[17]

See also

Submarines of similar era and comparison

• Viking-class submarine