Type 212
The Type 212 submarine was developed at the request of the German Navy and is being built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) of Kiel and Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH (TNSW) of Enden. Four boats will join the German fleet.
The most prominent feature of the Type 212 is an air-independent propulsion system using a silent hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell system that makes the submarine more difficult to detect and inceases submersion time. The Type 212's hybrid diesel-electric and air-independent fuel-cell propulsion system will meet a vital requirement for low detectability.
A noiseless propeller will be driven by a low-noise, high-performance, permament-magnet motor. The reactants for the fuel cell (hydrogen and oxygen) will be stored in the after part of the boat between the pressure hull and an outer, free-flooding hull. The low-detection-probability requirement will also be met by reducing the boat's acoustic, magnetic, radar, and visual signatures and by minimizing its sonar target strength (against active detection) and sonar target level (against passive detection). The pressure hull, made of high-strength nonmagnetic steel, is optimized for hydrodynamic properties and maneuverability.
PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) fuel cells are known for their efficient conversion of hydrogen (as fuel) and oxygen into electrical energy. Optimised for specific requirements in submarines, they will be the key component for electricty generation in future conventional submarines. . Siemens has developed and is manufacturing two different types of PEM fuel cell modules, one type for the German and Italian U 212 submarines and antoher for the U214 submarine which will be used by the Hellenic and the South Korean navy.
The fuel cell system permits submerged operations for up to one month without snorkeling. The design itself is very hydrodynamically clean, which suggests a high maximum speed (>20 kts). Using the X-helm for the first time, the German Navy will also improve agility. New stainless and a-magnetic steel for the pressure hull could allow dives of over 300 m.
The Type 212's two decks of crew space mean that the days of the "warm bunk" belong to the past. The commander has his own cabin with a door. The boat is so spacious that change dividing of the interior arrangement is no longer necessary for reloading the weapons.
