DRASS DG160

FOREWORD
With the DG160 Drass continues the legacy of our Italian-made Midget Submarines, based on the traditional design which was a huge success worldwide. The Midget’s success is due to the geniality of design, its simple hull construction, the reliability of the on-board equipment, as well as its ease of operability and maintainability. Furthermore, the majority of Midget Submarines manufactured in the second half of the nineties have made the end user self-sufficient in the operation and maintenance of a craft dedicated to covert operations, including disassembly and reassembly for over-land transportation.

DRASS DG160 COMPACT DESIGN PRINCIPLE
The design of the Drass DG160 is based on an operational concept which makes this craft more similar to that of an aircraft than a naval vessel; due to its limited size, when not in operation, the Midget can be stored dry in a hangar and launched for mission only. This feature facilitates maintenance, increases the longevity of the craft, and, more importantly, makes it less detectable by air recognition.
Like an aircraft, the Drass DG160 is fitted with all the weapons and equipment required for mission, assuming the most appropriate configuration.
Typical Drass DG160 configuration:
• Patrol and attack mission consists of the standard payload 2 bow heavy-weight torpedoes + optional additional payload of 2 flank torpedoes
• In case of Special Forces deployment, standard payload consists of 2 bow heavy-weight torpedoes + additional payload of 2 SDVs (Swimmer Delivery Vehicles) or 1 inflatable boat
• Other configurations available include 20/70 mm machine guns and minor accessories
The Midget Submarine hull is composed of a main pressure hull divided in four parts with separate battery containers; these vessels are bolted together and can be disassembled for maintenance, testing and road transportation.

DRASS DG160 MIDGET OPERATIONAL TASKS
Despite displacing around one tenth of a conventional diesel electric submarine, Drass DG160 Midget provides similar attack potential, able to load and launch up to 4 latest generation wire-guided light torpedoes. It has been specifically designed for the following operational tasks:
• Attack of strategic targets in open sea by commandos (oil platforms and terminals, sea lines)
• Anti-ship and anti-submarine attacks with up to 4 wire-guided heavy-weight torpedoes (50 km range)
• Patrol of coastal areas as a deterrent against enemy ships approaching own coastal targets
• Intelligence gathering of acoustic, electronic and communication information
• SDV and inflatable boat deployment for commandos and intelligence missions.
• Deployment of mines in shallow waters / harbor mouths

EQUIPMENT CONFIGURATION

  • Submarine Steering Station
  • Submarine Platform Management System
  • Navigation / Combat System
  • Passive Sonar
  • Obstacle Avoidance Sonar
  • SWR Intercept Sonar (OPTIONAL)
  • RWR Radar Warning Receiver
  • ESM, DF– Electronic Support Measure, Direction Finding (OPTIONAL)
  • Optronic Masts
  • HF Transceiver
  • UHF/VHF Transceiver
  • Underwater Communication System
  • Sound Powered Telephone
  • Intercom Network
  • INS – Inertial Navigation System
  • Echo Sounder with Sound Velocity
  • Doppler Velocity Log