Spanish Cabinet OKs Additional €1.77Bn for S-80 Submarines

The Council of Ministers has approved the rescheduling of the annuities that affect the Special Program for the Modernization of the Armed Forces corresponding to the S-80submarine, so as to adapt the financing to the current payment schedule.

With this action, the cost ceiling of the S-80 submarine program is raised to 1.771.703.930,42 euros.

Special Programs have particular financing characteristics that imply the realization of continuous adaptations during their development.

Currently, the Ministry of Defense has the need to reprogram the calendar of annuities corresponding to the submarine program S-80, which aims at the design and construction of four high-tech, non-nuclear submarines with superior capabilities to others in service.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The S-80 submarine program, designed by the Spanish Navantia shipyards group, which is also building the four boats, has a particularly troubled history.
First, it was discovered that the first boat was too heavy to be able to resurface after having dived, so it was decided to lengthen it by inserting a 10-meter plug so as to ensure its neutral buoyancy. By increasing its displacement by 800 tonnes.
It was then discovered that, once lengthened, the boats are too long to fit into the submarine pens at their base in Cartagena, which will have to be dredged and the docks lengthened.
These modifications require an additional budget of 1.77 billion euros, approved on July 27 as stated above which, when added to the initial budget of 2,132 million euros, puts the total cost at 3,907 million euros, or almost one billion euros for each of the four submarines -- practically twice the original estimate.
Their story is recounted here.)

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