The serval cat is pronounced [sǒu] and has an elegant and beautiful appearance, with a body shape like a small cheetah, slender torso and limbs, and born with a noble aura. Russia is developing the Serval Cat, a small offshore-type conventional submarine with AIP (which does not rely on aerodynamics), which is used to defend naval bases, conduct ambush and covert operations near enemy routes, and use torpedoes and missiles against enemy targets on the water, underwater and shore. Thanks to its modular design, the Serval Cat can act as a carrier for transporting fighting frogmen. The Russian military believes that the most effective application area of the "Serval Cat" is near shallow waters, where nuclear submarines and large diesel-electric submarines are incapacitated. In addition, small conventional submarines will have a wide range of needs in foreign navies. The Russian side has high hopes for the export of the "Serval Cat".
Currently, russia's St. Petersburg Marine Engineering Bureau (also known as the Malachite Design Bureau) is developing a small offshore conventional submarine P-750B "Serval", which is equipped with a stand-alone AIP power unit (which does not rely on aerodynamic systems). Although the Serval Cat can also travel to deep ocean areas, the submarine's main combat mission is to operate in shallow and offshore waters. That is, to work in places where large submarines are difficult to maneuver, especially in the Baltic Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Barents Sea and the Black Sea.
The Malachite Design Bureau has experience in developing pocket submarines. During the Soviet period, the Malachite Design Bureau had developed the Type 865 "Piranha" class pocket submarine, and then upgraded it, the submarine can cover 1000 nautical miles (1852 km), the combat range, the submarine can operate for 10 days, diving depth of 200 meters.
In addition, the "Serval Cat" will be beneficial to the anti-submarine defense of the main nuclear submarine base of the Russian Navy. According to the Malachite Design Bureau, the Serval Cat is capable of striking shore targets with Caliber-NK cruise missiles, enemy ships and submarines, conducting offshore patrols and secretly transporting reconnaissance and sabotage teams. Four 533 mm torpedo tubes are installed and can carry and fire 16 533 mm heavy multi-purpose torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and mines.
The P-750B "Serval Cat" submarine has a displacement of about 1450 tons, a length of 65.5 meters, a width of 7 meters, a draft of 5.2 meters, a diving depth of more than 300 meters, a maximum underwater speed of 18 knots (33.3 km / h), and an economic speed of 4 knots. The autonomous endurance is up to 30 days, and the total range is within 4300 nautical miles (nearly 8,000 kilometers). The Malachite Design Bureau applied a highly automated submarine control system in the development of the "Serval Cat", which only requires four officers on duty for normal navigation, and the total number of crew members is only 18.
The Serval Cat submarine is powered by a unique closed-type gas turbine. Consisting of two closed-cycle gas turbine engines (400 kW per unit) and a 2500 kW propulsion motor, the closed-loop gas turbine engine drives the generator to generate electricity, which can be used to propel submarines or store batteries.
The biggest feature of the power system of the "Serval Cat" submarine is the direct use of AIP closed-cycle gas turbine engine as the main force system, while western countries and China, whether it is Sweden's "Gotland" class, Germany's 212/214 type, France's "Scorpio" class, Japan's "Sorman" class, or China's 039B type and other conventional AIP submarines, its AIP power system is auxiliary power, need to install a conventional diesel engine as the main force system, AIP system is only started during a long period of covert navigation. The single AIP power system of the "Serval Cat" submarine reduces the complexity of the power system, reducing the size of the submarine and the underwater displacement.
Closed-loop gas turbines use liquid oxygen. The operating principle is that the turbo compressor compresses the fuel oil and liquid oxygen air into high-pressure gas, enters the combustion chamber to burn, produces high-temperature gas and then mixes into the air or secondary air after the turbine expands again to do work, drives the generator to generate electricity, circulating gas in the process of returning to the compressor by the recuperator to absorb excess heat, after the expansion of the work after the exhaust gas is purified by carbon dioxide and water vapor absorption system, and then add liquid oxygen, adjusted to the appropriate oxygen content, re-enter the cycle.
The underwater closed gas turbine developed by the Malachite Design Bureau will provide the "Serval Cat" submarine with more than 10 days of continuous underwater voyage, and if the economic speed and expanded liquid oxygen carrying capacity are adopted, the continuous submarine time may increase to 30 days. The application of this power system is mainly to solve the submarine time defect of traditional conventional submarines, although the cost-effectiveness of traditional diesel-electric submarines is relatively high, but it needs to be often surfaced to recharge, which means that it is impossible to lose stealth and easily become the enemy's anti-potential prey, while the submarine that installs AIP does not rely on aerodynamic devices can dive for a long time, more hidden and safer. Russia's stand-alone powerplant surpasses similar products currently installed on submarines of foreign navies, including NATO members.
The bow of the P-750B submarine is designed to accommodate several modules with weapons and equipment, depending on the specifics of the combat mission. For example, if you want to strike land and sea targets, the Serval Cat submarine will be equipped with a module with six outboard launchers for the use of torpedoes and "caliber" cruise missiles. Equipped with mines and torpedoes of 533 mm and 324 mm calibers. Another important feature of the arsenal of the "Serval Cat" is the presence of a separate minesweeper. For example, the Russian Navy's Triton ultra-small submarine, which can accommodate 6 combatants, can also be installed on the "Serval Cat" submarine. This series of small submarines appeared in the Soviet era, but now the Design Bureau has upgraded it, and the Triton is designed to carry out sabotage, reconnaissance and special operations in coastal areas, secretly transporting battle frogmen.
At the 10th International Naval Exhibition in St. Petersburg at the end of June this year, the Malachite Design Bureau presented this submarine "Serval" with a significant increase in autonomy and navigation range, and in terms of military technical cooperation, high-tech submarines such as "Serval" will arouse the interest of a large number of Russian partners, this type of submarine is suitable for carrying out tasks in coastal waters in different parts of the world, can operate in coastal areas quite efficiently, protect water borders and coastal economic resources, and can also serve as a long-range deterrent strike force. It is a fairly powerful naval device that is needed by the Russian Navy and the navies of other countries with shallow sea access.