Type 212 Multi Purpose Submarine - Germany
The conventional, i.e. not nuclear-powered, class 212A submarines are the most modern in the world. Their main job is to fight targets both above and below the water. They fulfill this task either alone or together with other combat ships, anti-submarine helicopters and maritime patrols. The most important secondary tasks of the units of the submarine class 212A are the reconnaissance and the deployment of combat swimmers. Compared to other submarines, the German boats are relatively small. They have an extremely low magnetic and acoustic signature and have excellent maneuverability. Therefore, the class 212A submarines can be used excellently in shallow water, for example in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, but also off any other coast worldwide.
After the launch of the last class 206 submarine ( U 30 on 04/04/1974), more than 20 years passed during which no more submarines were built for the German navy at German shipyards, only the successful export of submarines was possible obtain the appropriate capacities. It was not until 1987 that plans were made for a completely new type of submarine with a propulsion system independent of the outside air and a significantly larger displacement than the previous submarines.
On October 19, 2005 the first two submarines ( U 31 and U 32 ) were put into service, on June 13, 2006 with U 33 and on May 3, 2007 with U 34 the fourth boat of the first series of class 212A.
The contract to deliver a second batch of two HDW Class 212A submarines was signed on 22nd September 2006 in Koblenz with the German Office for Military Technology and Procurement/BWB (now the German Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Employment of the Bundeswehr/BAAINBW). The submarine building activities are taking place at the shipyards of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in Kiel and Emder Werft- und Dockbetriebe in Emden.
The two additional units are largely identical to their sister ships from the first batch. They are also equipped with the HDW air-independent fuel cell propulsion system which has already given excellent results in operations with the boats of the first batch. The German Navy submarine U32 gave renewed proof of this in April 2013. On the way to participate in naval exercises in the USA the boat produced a new record for non-nuclear submarines with 18 days in submerged transit without snorkelling.
Due to changing mission profiles and continuous advances in technology, a number of modifications have been made with regard to the second batch of HDW Class 212A. These changes cover:
- Incorporation of a communications system suitable for use in Network Centric Warfare scenarios
- Installation of the integrated German Sonar and Command Weapon and Control System
- Substitution of the flank array with a superficial lateral antenna
- Replacement of one periscope by an optronic mast
- Integration of a diver lock-out system
- Tropical readiness of the boats.
The boats of HDW Class 212A excel with their capability to operate from deep submerged positions far offshore or in extremely shallow waters. They fully meet modern demands with regard to new mission profiles.
In September 2006, the German Navy ordered two further U212 submarines. They are 1.2 meters longer to give additional space for a new reconnaissance mast. The first of these two, designated U35, was delivered in November 2011 and the second was delivered in 2013. One of the most modern non-nuclear submarines in the world was named 15 May 2013 at the shipyard of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems GmbH, a company of ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions AG, under the name of "U36". This marked another important milestone in the ongoing shipbuilding program for the German Navy. U36 is the second boat of the second batch of HDW Class 212A submarines destined for operation in the German Navy.
The status of thse two boats is a bit obscure. Their original delivery schedule was delayed, and as of late 2014 they did not appeare to be in commission. On 27 May 2013 the German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière and his Polish counterpart Tomasz Siemoniak signed a “Letter of Intention” to increase co-operation between the two countries’ navies in 28 areas including through a “submarine operating authority”.
Poland was looking to acquire three new submarines by 2030 and reports on Polish news portal Defence 24 in September 2013 said “particularly intense talks” were underway between the German makers of the U-212A submarines, TKMS, and the Polish Ministry of Defence to lease two German submarines.
The return of German submarines to normal service operations turned out to be more complex than expected. While with "U 31" since the beginning of May 2018, a submarine was ready for training trips, the Navy is still waiting for more boats. At the beginning of 2018, the Navy had hoped to have at least three of the six boats ready to go by the summer. But the Navy was far from that. At the shipyard TKMS in Kiel, only one of the U-boats lying ashore there since last year has been moved. The submarine "U 36" was pulled from its storage area to the lift and brought to the water. It was to be prepared in the harbor for the return to service of the Navy. The boat put into service in 2016 had been in repair at the Kiel shipyard for almost a year.
Only "U 31" was ready to go. It was on the training drive in the Skagerrak until April 20. With this submarine now take the important trips for the training of the crews. At Kiel shipyard, two more boats were laying over. Two more submarines are in Eckernförde waiting for a place in the shipyard. Following a collision with a rock off Norway in late 2017, "U 35", the last U-boat in the navy, had failed. Due to lack of spare parts and long shipyard laytime, the five other submarines had already failed. In the summer of 2017, "U 32" had problems with batteries.
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