TSAMTO on August 26. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense has announced the successful completion of the critical review of the project (CDR) for the German-Norwegian non-nuclear submarine construction program "Type-212CD".
As reported by Defence-industry.eu German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram took part in the official event dedicated to the completion of the CDR stage.
This event marks an important milestone in the joint project of the two countries, as it completes the design phase of new submarines. The completion of the CDR stage also means that the design process meets all the necessary requirements and the program moves to the construction stage.
The design phase, which began almost three years ago after the contract was signed in 2021, included a thorough analysis of more than 100,000 pages of documentation to ensure compliance with approximately 6,000 contractual requirements. The design work accounts for just under a quarter of the total cost, which is divided between Norway and Germany.
As already reported by CAMTO, the construction is carried out within the framework of the jointly implemented Norwegian and German Navies program for the purchase of Type-212CD (Common Designs; U212CD).
In February 2017, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced that the Norwegian government had chosen Germany as a strategic partner for the implementation of a new generation submarine supply program. In addition, the parties reached an agreement on expanding cooperation to other projects.
As part of the cooperation, Norway is acquiring four submarines, designated "Type-212CD", which will be built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in Kiel. The German Navy will purchase two submarines in a similar configuration. In the future, the number of project participants may increase.
Cooperation within the framework of the project will also extend to the training of personnel, conducting exercises, supply of spare parts, maintenance, repair and modernization, industrial cooperation between the defense enterprises of the two countries. This will save money on the purchase and operation of NAPS.
In July 2021, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems officially announced the receipt of an order for the construction of six identical Type-212CD submarines for the Norwegian and German Navies. The relevant contracts were signed with the procurement authorities of Norway and Germany. In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was held in a virtual format. The cost of the order for the production of six NAPS is 5.5 billion. euro.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems has also signed a cooperation agreement with Norwegian partner Kongsberg. In preparation for the implementation of the contract in 2019, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems invested about 250 million euros in the project to create an international competence center in the field of construction of non-nuclear submarines in Kiel. A new shipbuilding workshop was built specifically for the project on the territory of the shipyard in Kiel in two years.
TKMS announced a ceremony at the Kiel facility dedicated to the laying of the first Type-212CD non-nuclear submarine intended for the Norwegian Navy on September 12, 2023. The event was attended by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram.
It is expected that the Norwegian Navy's main NAF will be tested in 2027, and its delivery is expected by 2029. The delivery of two submarines to the German Navy is scheduled to take place in 2032 and 2034.
The NAPS will be used for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, reconnaissance and support of MTR operations. As planned, the Type-212CD class submarine will be a further development of the Type-212A class submarine. Its length will be 74 m, width – 10 m, height – 13 m. It will feature a reduced acoustic signature, enhanced situational awareness capabilities, and a network communication system with allied units.
Norway and Germany intend to establish a joint NAF operations management office, staffed by personnel from the two countries, to plan and carry out maintenance and modernization of all six submarines.
A specialized shipyard for the maintenance of Norwegian and German Type-212CD submarines is being built at the Hokonsvern Naval base near Bergen in Norway, which is expected to be ready in 2029, by the time the first submarine is put into service.
