Norway strengthens its navy with a billion-dollar order for submarines from Kiel!

Norway strengthens its navy with a billion-dollar order for submarines from Kiel!

The northern German shipyard Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has landed a significant order. Norway is ordering two more non-nuclear submarines of the U212CD class, which will ensure the German manufacturer a decent deal worth the equivalent of around 3.9 billion euros (46 billion crowns). This reports n-tv. The latest order already complements an earlier order from 2021 for four submarines. Now there is a total volume of almost 100 billion crowns for all six submarines that Norway has commissioned.

Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik highlights that the increased activities of Russian forces in the North Atlantic and the Barents Sea are a cause for concern. “We monitor a huge area of ​​two million square kilometers in the North Atlantic,” explains Sandvik. The new submarines will be used primarily to monitor Russian submarines stationed on the Kola Peninsula. The result of this strategic planning is also the decision to purchase long-range missiles that can reach targets at a distance of up to 500 km, for which 19 billion crowns have been earmarked.

Cooperation between Germany and Norway

The U212CD class submarines are the result of close arms cooperation between Norway and Germany, which also aims to exploit synergies in operations, logistics and repairs. Both NATO partners have agreed to procure a total of six submarines of this type, thereby significantly improving operational capabilities, particularly on NATO's northern flank. How NDR Reportedly, the submarines were originally approved in 2021, with two for Germany and four for Norway.

The construction of the first submarines is already underway and began in Kiel in 2023. However, the exact distribution of production between Kiel and Wismar, where up to 1,500 new jobs could be created, remains unclear. “We hope that this order will further strengthen the maritime industry in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,” said Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig. The order is part of a comprehensive strategy of the German Navy to advance planning for the Navy 2035+.

Technology and timing

The contract includes the construction of submarines that are approximately 72 meters long and are equipped with improved sensor technology that enables state-of-the-art surveillance and operational tactics. The first submarines are scheduled to be delivered from 2029, while the six German submarines are scheduled to be delivered between 2032 and 2037, according to the Press portal reports. The TKMS also has its eye on a new major arms contract for Canada, which involves the construction of eight to twelve conventional submarines.

Since demand for such technologies is high, TKMS will be at full capacity by the early 2040s, with a total order volume of 18.5 billion euros. The success of these orders shows once again how important cooperation projects within NATO are and the role that German industry plays in them.