December 23, 2007:
A U.S. firm (UTC Power) is teaming with
Spanish submarine builder Navantia to produce 300 kilowatt fuel cells for the
new S-80 submarines AIP (Air-Independent Propulsion) system. The UTC fuel cell
design uses ethanol and pure oxygen.
There are several other fuel cell designs out there, and AIP is becoming
increasingly popular. It costs another $200 million or so to turn a half
billion dollar diesel-electric sub into an AIP model that can stay underwater
for a week or more at a time. This gives non-nuclear boats the same underwater
endurance edge that nuclear powered boats have long possessed. While the U.S.
does not build non-nuclear boats, AIP tech is important for the growing number
of UUV (unmanned underwater vehicles) being planned or developed for American
use.
