U 209 is proven and mature series of Submarine even newer Germany design is stretch and adaptive design from u209 classes, of course if you just still lingering on diesel powered Submarine why bother with all hush hush AIP this and that with little increment in capability , i would rather use that money to jump into Nuclear powered attack Submarine
this is where scorpene come in prabowo mind probably , brazil actually able to planned to build their own nuclear submarine due to DCNS (and their government support and willingness of course) , while im not saying korean one is bad , but DCNS atleast is more experienced in this scope.
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"The
Brazilian submarine Álvaro Alberto is a
nuclear-powered attack submarine (
SSN) under construction for the
Brazilian Navy. The construction is part of the strategic partnership signed between France and Brazil in 2008, which also included the total transfer of technology and support for the construction of four enlarged conventionally-powered
Scorpène-class submarines
In 2009, Brazil purchased four enlarged
Scorpène-class conventionally-powered submarines for US$9.9 billion with a total technology transfer agreement, giving to the country the knowledge for the design and construction of submarine hulls.The first Brazilian
Scorpène-class submarine,
Riachuelo, was launched on 14 December 2018.
The project was initiated in 2012 through the Submarine Development Program (PROSUB), with the
Itaguaí base in
Rio de Janeiro as the submarine development and manufacturing point. From 2010 to 2012, a group of 31 engineers, 25 officers and 6 civil employees, received theoretical training by the DCNS (now
Naval Group) in France. In 2018, more than 400 Brazilian engineers worked on the nuclear submarine project staff, originally formed by the group that received training in France."
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i believe prabowo have a decent reasoning with our submarine matters , to make even journal page like La Tribune dare to post such news , if the next variation type of our subs is going to be 75meter Scorpene like the brazil had , i will not dissapointed(even if i was still favor u214 in the same class) , also mentioning the current exocet stock in our storage could actually fit in their torpedo tube .
what i see here , maybe prabowo want to follow brazil way , to have the 209 fleet first (tupi class) then scorpene after it .