Originally posted by tankee1981:
The possibility that the ST and DSTA guys turn the submarines inside out to find out how to reverse engineer it is highly likely. However am I right to say that a heavily up-graded old submarine is still very much of an advanced version of an old design? I also doubt that Singapore will be able to design and build conventional diesel submarines in the near future due to the lack of technology,experience and the high cost involved.

Here's a quote from the kockums website (http://www.kockums.se/) about the challenger class sub:
"The RSS Challenger submarine was first launched in 1968 as HMS Sjöbjörnen (Seabear) within the Sjöormen Class (Sea Serpent) of the Royal Swedish Navy.
The revolutionary Sea Serpent Class submarine was at the time the first "real" submarine that succeeded and outdated the existing WW2 designs.
With the Sea Serpent Class Kockums introduced a number of new technologies including the modern hydrodynamic hull shape, one-man manoeuvring system and the X-rudder configuration giving the submarine outstanding manoeuvring characteristics.
The Sjöbjörnen submarine was modified and upgraded for tropical conditions 1996-1997 and re-launched as RSS Challenger on 26 September 1997.
Still, after more than 30 years in service, this submarine in many respects is at the forefront of submarine technology. RSS Challenger will proudly serve the Republic of Singapore for many years to come and represents a real evidence of the very high quality level of submarines delivered by Kockums.
Four submarines of the Challenger Class are on order to the Republic of Singapore Navy"
I'm no naval expert, but looking, superficially, at the tear-drop shaped sjoormen sub, the design is marginally different from the Viking class sub to be built by the same company.
Anyone knows if this sub can launch harpoons just like the Collins class boat?