SS-X Air Independent Propulsion [AIP]
By the end of 2016 Vietnam would receive a total of 6 Kilo 636 submarines from the contract signed in 2009. In the short term, this number would be sufficient for the needs of Vietnam. However, as recommended by the manufacturer, from 2018 onwards the submarine will requre routine maintenance, resulting in the shortage of combat readiness. Actually, Vietnam will only 2 Kilo in the regular duty status, with 2 units in storage and the other 2 in maintenance status.
So in the future, to really be able to cope with strong opponents, the Navy Vietnam would need additional and more modern submarines, equipped with Air Independent Propulsion [AIP] engine sets.
In early 2016 the Russian Defense Ministry issued an official statement to stopping work on the AIP submarine Project 677 Lada class to accrue funds for development investment in the more advanced Kalina submarines, with planned work starting after 2020. Russia's decision meant the end to two variants of the Lada export, the Amur 950 and Amur 1650, the candidates for the AIP procurement plans of the Navy of Vietnam. Russia's Kalina class submarines will not be launched before 2020, and there would by then not be much testing time, and there is no guarantee that Kalina will avoid the weaknesses that were seen in the Lada.
So according to some international experts, Vietnam will likely buy 2 AIP conventional submarines. The AIP submarines of European manufacturers such as French Scorpene or Type 214 of Germany have proven reliability as well as superior operational capabilities and so have become preferred items with naval countries. Even a traditional partner of Russia's arms, India decided to choose Scorpenefor its non-nuclear submarine fleet.
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