Navantia completes factory tests for AIP System on S-80 submarines.

According to a PR published by Navantia on September 25, 2023, the company has announced the successful completion of the factory acceptance tests for its innovative AIP BEST (Bio-Ethanol Stealth Technology) system designed for the S-80 submarines.
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Artist rendering of a S-80 Plus class submarine.(Picture source: Navantia)

This testing phase was essential for the S-80 program. During the tests, Navantia evaluated the system's performance in a simulated environment that replicated the conditions the system would encounter during actual submarine missions.

The facilities at Cartagena Shipyard allowed for this environment, with capabilities to simulate submarine operations and test entire sections of the submarine.

Following the successful tests, plans are in place to integrate the AIP system into the S-83 submarine. Additionally, the first two submarines, Isaac Peral (S-81) and Narciso Monturiol (S-82), are designed to accommodate this technology in their initial hull structures.

The AIP BEST system is designed to improve the capabilities of conventional diesel-electric submarines. Traditional non-nuclear submarines must periodically surface to recharge batteries, exposing them to potential detection. In contrast, AIP-equipped submarines can recharge their batteries while submerged, thus potentially staying underwater for extended periods.

Navantia's AIP system uses fuel cells and falls under third-generation systems, which produce hydrogen onboard from bioethanol, rather than using stored hydrogen.