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Intrepido class (U206A) coastal submarines

In August 2012 Germany sold the Ministry of Defense of Colombia, in a government to government transaction, two U206A submarines. The purchase and modernization are part of the strategic projections strength of the Colombian Navy (Development of the Submarine Force), and materialized within the Bridge Plan, Orion Phase 1 and Orion Phase 2.

On 12 November 2015 the Colombian government purchased two U206A submarines from Germany to reinforce operations against drug-trafficking and other transnational crimes in the Caribbean waters. Colombia's total investment amounted to $118 million, which included two submarines, equipment and arms, besides revamping its system. The U206s are small, but more than enough to patrol shipping lanes used by drug traffickers using semi-submersible vessels. They also constitute a deterrent against Venezuela, since due to its small size and design can operate in shallow water (20 m only).

The two submarines would have the same names as the vastly smaller Intrepido class (Cosmos SX 506 type) midget submarines they are "replacing", namely "ARC Intrepid" and "ARC Indomitable," had been in service for 40 years. The new submarines are a result of a deal between the defense ministries of Colombia and Germany in 2012. The new submarines were expected to arrive at the Cartagena(north) naval base towards the end of November 2015. The commander of the Colombian Navy, Vice Admiral Leonardo Santamaria Gaitan, said a big part of the submarine revamp process involved up-gradation of the engineering systems, as well as cooling and heating. The two U206A are characterized by their size, agility, displacement capacity and their high maneuverability for operating in shallow maritime zones. Each submarine has a capacity to hold a crew of 23, a displacement of 500 tons, and a range of 4,500 nautical miles or 15 days. The German-make submarines will reinforce the current fleet of two U209 Pijao class ocean submarines.

The type 206 is a class of diesel-electric submarines, developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW). Its design is based on the previous class of submarines type 205. These small and agile submarines were built during the Cold War to operate in shallow seas such as the Baltic and thus to attack naval targets of the Warsaw Pact. The pressure hulls were built with non-magnetic steel to counter the threat of magnetic mines naval and make detection more difficult MAD sensors.

Type 205 submarines Ten were built between 1962 and 1968 with non - magnetic steel helmets. The first suffered material fatigue and corrosion and an urgent program to help overcome these problems, which received a lot of publicity for that time began. The new austenitic stainless steel non-magnetic had a great elasticity and excellent dynamic force being tested satisfactorily in service, saving all initial problems, however, was never selected by many customers export IKL remaining only on submarines of the German navy. Subsequently the Type 206 submarine was designed by IKL in 1964/65 and a production order was laid on June 7, 1969 for 8 submarines Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), Kiel and 10 in Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden.