Scorpène-class submarine

The French Module d'Energie Sous-Marine Autonome (MESMA) system is being offered by the French shipyard Naval Group for the Scorpène-class submarines. It is essentially a modified version of their nuclear propulsion system with heat being generated by ethanol and oxygen. The combustion of the ethanol and stored oxygen, at a pressure of 60 atm (6.1 MPa), generates steam which powers a conventional turbine power plant. This pressure-firing allows exhaust carbon dioxide to be expelled overboard at any depth without an exhaust compressor.

Each MESMA system costs around US$50–60 million. As installed on the Scorpènes, it requires adding a new 8.3-metre (27 ft), 305-tonne hull section to the submarines, and enables a submarine to operate for more than 21 days under water depending on speed.

Naval Group is also developing second-generation hydrogen fuel cell AIP modules for future Scorpène models.

Carrera of the Chilean Navy

The Chilean Navy ordered two Scorpène-class boats, which replaced two Oberon-class submarines retired by the Chilean Navy. The Chilean Scorpène-class O'Higgins and Carrera were completed in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

KD Tunku Abdul Rahman of the Royal Malaysian Navy

In 2002, Malaysia ordered two Scorpène-class boats worth €1.04 billion (about RM4.78 billion). Both boats Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak commissioned by Royal Malaysian Navy in 2009.

INS Kalvari of the Indian Navy

In 2005, India chose the Scorpène design; purchasing six submarines for US$3 billion (US$500 million per boat). Under a technology transfer agreement, the state-owned Mazagon Docks in Mumbai was to manufacture the submarines, and deliver them between 2012 and 2016, however the project is running six years behind schedule.[13][14] Construction started on 23 May 2009.[5] In August 2016, over 20,000 confidential pages of the submarine's manual were leaked by Australian media,[15] stirring up a controversy about the impact to India's ambitions of fielding a blue-water navy.[16]

Naval Group answered that those documents were not crucial.[17] After extensive sea trials, Kalvari was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 14 December 2017.[18]

Riachuelo of the Brazilian Navy

Humaitá of the Brazilian Navy

In 2009, Brazil purchased four enlarged Scorpènes for US$ 10 billion with a technology transfer agreement and a second agreement to develop a French/Brazilian nuclear-powered submarine. The Brazilian submarine class was given the designation Riachuelo class. The hull of the first S-BR (S40) was laid down at Cherbourg on 27 May 2010 and is to be jumboized at the Brazilian Navy Shipyard in Sepetiba in late 2012.[19] The latter three submarines will be built there entirely, and are planned to be commissioned in 2020, 2021, and 2022. The nuclear-powered submarine Álvaro Alberto is under construction since 2018, with scheduled launch for 2027.[20]

The first submarine Riachuelo was launched on 14 December 2018, and began sea trials in September 2019.[21] All the submarines are built by the Brazilian defence company Itaguaí Construções Navais.

In December 2019, Secretary of National Defense of Philippines Delfin Lorenzana announced that the Scorpène-class submarine of France fits the requirements of the Philippine Navy. Lorenzana visited a Scorpène-class submarine when he visited France.[22] On 18 December 2019, Lorenzana said that the Philippines is one step closer to acquiring the French submarine after signing an agreement with France sought to enhance both country's maritime defense.[23] In January 2020, Philippine and French Navy conducted an expert exchange on a submarine to enhance members in the submarine's information about the submarine proper.[24]

As of 2021, Indonesia is still considering purchasing a Riachuelo-class submarine, the Scorpène variant constructed for Brazil. Talks for such a purchase started as early as 2016.[25] On 7 June 2021, Indonesia signed a letter of intent to buy four Scorpène-class submarines and weapons packages from France.[26] On 10 February 2022, the Indonesian Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto and his French counterpart Florence Parly witness the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kaharuddin Djenod, CEO of PT. PAL and Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group on cooperation in research and development between PT. PAL and Naval Group regarding the plan to purchase two Scorpène submarines with AIP (Air-independent Propulsion) along with weapons and spare parts as well as training.[27][28][29]

As of 2022, Romania is considering purchasing two Scorpène-class submarines from the French.[30]

In 2003, the Spanish government ordered four Scorpène AIP submarines worth €1,756 million.[31] However, the Spanish Navy cancelled the order, and ordered four S-80-class submarines, instead. This has caused conflicts and controversies between Naval Group and Navantia, as the latter is still involved in the construction of the submarines sold to India, Malaysia, and Chile, while the S-80 is offered on the export market.[32] As an answer to the competition from the S-80, Naval Group designed its own enhanced version of the Scorpène called the Marlin class, but little is known about this design and the Scorpène is still offered by France on the export market. The dispute was settled when Navantia gave up export rights on the Scorpène class, leaving Naval Group with sole responsibility for the project.[33]

On 1 March 2011, the Naval Shipyard Gdynia of Poland and Naval Group offered a license to build a yet undisclosed number of modified Scorpène-class boats. The Scorpène design is competing with that of the German Type 214 submarine.[34]

In December 2016, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence announced that Norway would sign a contract for four new submarines before the end of 2019. These would either be Scorpène vessels from Naval Group or German U-boats from ThyssenKrupp. Norway would also be looking into possible cooperation on maintenance and construction with other potential buyers of the same submarines, such as Poland or the Netherlands.[35][36] In February 2017, the Norwegian Government announced that it intended to procure its new submarines from the German manufacturer, ThyssenKrupp. Norway and Germany will buy submarines together to mutualize expenses. In practice the tender was cancelled and exclusive government to government negotiations were initiated.