"Turkey has announced the list of respondents to its New Type Submarine Project request for proposals (RfP). The RfP issued on the 28th of December 2006 calls for the procurement of six air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped submarines. Requesting AIP-equipped submarines limited the design options to French, Italian, German, Russian and Spanish shipyards; consequently the field of competitors was narrowed to France's Armaris probably offering the new Marlin submarine; Italy's Fincantieri, which may offer the new S1000 developed in co-operation with Russia's Rubin Design Bureau; as well as Spain's Navantia, which is likely to offer a variant of its new S-80A on order for the Spanish Navy."