Originally posted by HARIMAU:
RSN should get the tropicalise version of the A19 from Sweden.The German 212 also a good bet-but Swedish types might offer some advantages (beside the german are very strict about their state of the art weapons export).
i'm not sure if that's an entirely accurate assessment... when one thinks of western european sub makers, we generally think DCN (French), Kockums (Swedish) and HDW (German).
but since 2000, Kockums and HDW underwent a series of consolidation which ended up with the Swedish state-owned defence company Celsius AB and another private German company (Preussag) taking joint control over HDW and HDW acquiring a 100% stake in Kockums.
Sg is actually in a rather good position to acquire whichever sub it wants since the RSN enjoys good working relations with both the Swedish gov't, Kockums and DCN, which Sg has ordered frigates from...
and needless to say, the Kockums-HDW merger was undertaken primarily to share technology and gain a bigger share in the global market for naval vessels.
This was in early 2000...
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/archives/2000Jan/data/2000Jan1487/now here's a bombshell... guess what USA did to keep its half of the bargain to supply Taiwan with subs...
Australian Defence Magazine, May 2002
US merchant bank One Equity Partners (OEP) has bought a controlling interest in German submarine builder HDW. The bank, which is owned by Chicago-based Bank One (formerly First Chicago) has acquired 75 per cent of the firm from its German shareholders Preussag, Babcock Borsig and Bayern Finanz. Babcock Borsig retains a 25 per cant stake in HDW.
http://www.yaffa.com.au/defence/may/sea3.htmso now, one of the more prominent European naval supplier, is American owned... and since M'sia has introduced advanced submarine capabilities to the region, the door is WIDE open for Sg to purchase whatever diesel sub it bloody wants... the Germans have never been part of the equation but i seriously did not think that they would prove uncooperative should we have decided to deal with them.
true, America has export restrictions too, but Sg has dealt with them before and like i said: Sg is not introducing a new capability into the region.
so i do not foresee serious problems if Sg decides to buy a Swedish designed sub equipped with top of the line Swedish and German technology from big brother America and build it in Singapore with full technology transfer

pure speculation on my part... please correct my humble opinion should my reasoning prove flawed...
