After the OCCAR (Organization Conjointe de Coopération en matière d'Armement, the international organization for joint arms cooperation) awarded the contract to build the third unit of the U212NFS (Near Future Submarine) program to Fincantieri in July 2023, the German ELAC received sonar GmbH won the contract for the delivery of a complete integrated sonar system. A press release from the Kiel-based company dated December 22, 2023 shows that it has received a 60-month follow-up order worth 16 million euros for construction number 3 from LEONARDO SpA for the delivery of its sonar system.
ELAC will install its Sphere®-based integrated sonar suite Kaleidoscope 2.0. According to the company, Sphere® is a sonar suite that offers comprehensive sonar functions such as communications, surveying, mine and obstacle avoidance, passive detection and ASW solutions.
The new U212 NFS class boats are intended to replace the Sauro class submarines of the Italian Navy. The contract concluded between OCCAR and Fincantieri on February 26, 2021 initially provided for two submarines and two options to be decided later. It was preceded by an agreement between tkMS and Fincantieri for the license construction of two submarines (December 23, 2020 -ESUT reported).
Fincantieri bezifferte den Auftragswert für die ersten beiden Schiffe einschließlich logistischer Unterstützung auf 1,35 Milliarden Euro. Baunummer 3 kommt nach Fincantieri auf einen Gesamtwert von mehr als 500 Millionen Euro. Hinzu kommen weitere 160 Millionen Euro für „zukünftige Programmentwicklungen [Auslassung durch Verfasser] oder die Bereitstellung spezifischer zusätzlicher Fähigkeiten vor, die von der Marine benötigt werden“, so Fincantieri (21. Juli 2023).

The construction of building number 1 started on January 11, 2022 with a delivery target of December 2027. Construction of building number 2, which is scheduled for delivery in January 2029, began on June 6, 2023. Building number 3, the total value of which is expected to amount to 500 million euros, is scheduled to be delivered in December 2030. The option for a fourth boat will be decided at a later date.
U212NFS is a further development of the U212A, which has been used in the German Navy since 2004. Fincantieri has already delivered four U212A class boats between 2006 and 2017 with the support of tkMS.
According to the OCCAR, U212NFS has an expanded pressure hull (compared to U212A), a redesigned operations center with additional consoles, a new platform management system, electrically operated masts (instead of hydraulic ones), a propulsion system with lithium-ion batteries and is tropical-ready (use in tropical water temperatures). Armament: Leonardo Black Shark Advanced heavyweight torpedoes. The boats should be capable of deploying long-range cruise missiles.
Hans Uwe Mergener