The German-Norwegian submarine project is about to start again. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced that the contract for the new submarines for the Norwegian Navy should now be sealed. According to the ministry, there has been a new offer from thyssenkrupp Marine Systems since February. The Norwegian procurement authority Forsvarsmateriell, it is said, is now formally negotiating with the supplier together with its German partner, the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the German Armed Forces. The aim is to have a contract negotiated by the end of 2020. However, delays could occur due to COVID-19. Without giving details, the ministry writes that measures have been taken to control these effects. Delivery time and delivery schedule for the new submarines are part of the contract negotiations.
Norway decided in 2017 to replace the six Ula-class submarines with a joint design with Germany: U212CD, where "CD" stands for "common design". In October 2018, thyssenkrupp MarineSystems submitted the first offer. It was updated in July 2019. After the two navies were able to agree on standards at the same time, the offer was adjusted and now probably forms the basis for this round of negotiations.
Forsvarsmateriell envisages a cost ceiling of just over 44 billion Norwegian kroner (about 3.9 billion euros) for the four Norwegian submarines, including VAT, a risk margin and implementation costs.
Procurement, according to Forsvarsmaterial, is expected to take ten years, with the first submarine expected around seven years after ordering. The following submarines are to follow at annual intervals. When the letter of intent was signed in February 2017, the inflow was supposed to start in 2025. But now the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who together with Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen presented the national defense plan on April 17, confirmed that Norway could receive the first new submarine between 2028 and 2030 at the earliest.
Germany takes submarines number three and six in the series, which is to be completed by 2032 (so it was said at the time).
In Oslo, keeping the Ula boats in service for a longer period of time was already being considered. Up to 1.5 billion Norwegian kroner (approx. 130 million euros) has been allocated to the 2017-2025 budget for measures related to the decommissioning. Projects P6345, Updating Ula class, and P6370, Interim Solution Ula class, are launched as life-prolonging measures for the four remaining Ula submarines - another 593 million Norwegian kroner (approx. 51 million euros).
Norway: Cooperation desired - thyssenkrupp Marine Systems reacts
The Norwegian trade journal "Teknisk ukeblad" reports that the Storting, the Norwegian parliament, has made balanced industrial cooperation and market access for the Norwegian defense industry a condition before the contract is signed. In some cases, the German side has already complied with this in advance. It was agreed to set up maintenance and repair capacities in Bergen, Norway. The two navies have plans for joint training, personnel deployment and life cycle management of the future U212CD.
In addition, according to Teknisk ukeblad, it is still a declared goal in Norway to achieve broader cooperation in the construction and operation of the submarines. Oslo sees suitable partners in Italy, the Netherlands and Poland.
The Kiel-based thyssenkrupp Marine Systems was surprised by the publication of the Scandinavians. "That's a good signal," comments Stefan Ettwig, head of the communications department. thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is preparing for the future with new hires and large-scale infrastructure measures - among other things, a new shipbuilding hall for large section production, a shiplift and a second equipment line are planned. The German shipyard has worked towards cooperation with Norway. Together with its subsidiary Atlas Elektronik and the Norwegian armaments company Kongsberg, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems founded the joint venture kta Naval Systems in October 2017. kta Naval Systems will be responsible, among other things, for the development, production and maintenance of command and weapon deployment systems (combat systems). The company is based in Kongsberg, Norway, with a branch in Bremen. Kongsberg and Atlas Elektronik each contribute 50 percent equity to the joint venture.
Of course, there is no information about technical details. U212CD is said to be larger than the U212A operated by the German Navy.
Hans Uwe Mergener
As a guide, here are the technical data U212A (source:German Navy):
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