Although Norway has ordered four U212 Common Design (U212CD) submarines from Germany, the country’s chief of defence, General Eirik Kristoffersen, thinks this is not enough. He sees anti-submarine warfare (ASW) as a priority and wants to increase the number of submarines ordered from four to six.
This is one of the recommendations in his latest military advice, first presented in May and published on 7 June 2023. In November 2022 the government asked Gen Kristoffersen for his recommendation on what the armed forces should look like in the future. “A larger number of submarines will double the operational readiness,” the Norwegian defence chief writes in his advice. If this were to be realised, it would not only be advantageous for Norwegian-German armament co-operation from a military point of view, but would also bring positive industrial benefits.
A contract for six U212CD submarines – four for Norway and two for Germany – was signed on 8 July 2021 by Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, the Norwegian procurement agency Forsvarsmateriell and the contractor thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tkMS). The first boat is to be delivered to Norway in 2029, followed by Norway’s remaining boats in two-year intervals after that, while the two German boats (construction numbers 3 and 5) are to be delivered in 2032 and 2034 respectively. The contract is estimated to be worth around EUR 5.5 Bn by tkMS and includes an options for more boats for both contracting states. According to Norwegian press reports, the Forsvarsmateriell had informed the Norwegian government’s foreign affairs and defence committee that Norway has an option for up to four boats beyond its initial order and that a request to this effect should be submitted no later than the autumn of 2024.
Further proposals in the military advice
Procuring more submarines than previously planned is just one of the proposals in Gen Kristoffersen’s 68-page report. He also advocates improving the existing force structure, strengthening the country’s maritime capabilities overall, enhancing Norway’s air defences, improving the country’s long-range combat capabilities, increasing the size of the Norwegian armed forces.
As far as the naval forces are concerned, Gen Kristoffersen advocates the acquisition of at least four and preferably six new frigates. With this type of ship the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNN) would remain compatible with NATO maritime forces and could continue to make a relevant contribution to the alliance. “Six frigates will almost double operational readiness, so that the Norwegian Armed Forces can address several missions at the same time,” the report states.
Furthermore, Gen Kristoffersen sees the acquisition of up to four larger and 16 smaller standardised ships with modular weapon and sensor systems as a cost-effective solution to ensure sufficient presence. In his holistic approach the standardised ships are meant to complement the frigates, not replace them. “The number of frigates and large standard ships must be considered as a whole,” he writes.
The general also advocates the resumption of the RNN’s mine warfare capabilities, especially the replenishment of its mine warfare reserve.
The Norwegian-German U212CD programme
The U212CD design is based on the U212A-class submarines operating in the German and Italian navies, as well as on the Type 214 and 218 export versions, but is overall a larger boat. The U212CD design combines German experience in the Baltic Sea and Norwegian operational profiles ranging from coastal waters to the open sea. This has resulted in a boat with a longer range and a longer concealed standing time in the operational area.
A pressure hull made of non-magnetisable steel and air-independent propulsion (AIP) system are the outstanding technical features of the U212CD design. Changed mobility demands and the requirement that the boat be designed for a longer service life have led to an increase in tonnage, which has also necessitated a change to the propulsion system.
The advent of the U212CD design brings significant improvements in range, endurance and signature. U212CD boats will be equipped with an efficient armament, but their essential feature is the ability to operate covertly anywhere and at any time. Combined with additional intelligence gathering from the air, land and naval domains, the U212CDs can contribute to generating an improved situational picture for more precise decisions in a crisis.
With a displacement of approximately 2,500 tonnes, the U212CD will be the largest design of non-magnetisable submarine. With a length of 73 m, a width of 13 m and a height of 10 m, the boat will be large enough to provide the necessary range, but small enough to operate in near-shore waters.
The U212CD will also carry new battery technology. A study for a lithium-ion traction battery was awarded to tkMS on 9 July 2021. In addition to further developments in battery technology, advances in fuel cells and diesel engines are also planned. Two MTU4000-series diesel engines are to be used on the U212CD class in the future.
A new command-and-control and weapon engagement system, ORCCA, is to offer new possibilities in situational awareness and networking with maximum IT security. According to the manufacturer, kta naval systems AS (a joint venture between tkMS and Kongsberg), ORCCA will enable its operators to analyse data from a variety of sensors and systems on a multifunctional console.
The periscope that penetrates the pressure hull in the U212A gives way in the U212CD to two optronic masts produced by Hensoldt. In conjunction with the boat’s multi-function consoles, this allows for a different layout of its operations centre.
The German boats are to be armed with DM2A4 heavyweight torpedoes, while the Interactive Defence and Attack System for Submarines (IDAS), a missile-based air defence system, is not yet firmly anchored within the boats’ budget, although its development is being continued with money from the Bundeswehr’s special assets fund.
tkMS on the upswing?
The Norwegian defence chief’s proposals became public at the same time as a memorandum of understanding was signed between tkMS and India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd on the construction of conventional but AIP-equipped submarines. For tkMS both projects would not only be a business success, but also a recognition of its competencies in submarine construction. The Kiel shipbuilder is currently investing EUR 250 M in the modernisation and expansion of its production facilities and a year ago took over the shipyard MV Werften Wismar, announcing that “In the future, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems could produce submarines in Wismar in the course of 2024.”
At the same time, there are increasing reports about a possible separation of the Kiel shipyard from the thyssenkrupp group.
Hans Uwe Mergener
