Germany and Norway agree with TKMS on U212CD submarine project

The Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, and the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) agreed with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) on 22 March on the technical content and contractual provisions for the joint procurement of six U212CD (Common Design) submarines, with a contract to be signed in the summer.

The German Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a press release on 23 March that the Bundestag, the federal parliament, would approve Berlin’s share of the funding for the project before the summer break, which the NDMA explained was necessary for the contract signing, after which the parties will enter into a multi-year design process.

TKMS said in a 24 March press release that the signing of a contract in the summer would allow construction of the first submarine to begin in 2023. The shipyard expects delivery of the first of four submarines for the Norwegian Navy in 2029 and of the two boats for the German Navy in 2031 and 2034.

In preparation, TKMS began investing some EUR250 million (nearly USD295 million) in 2019 in its Kiel shipyard, where a new shipbuilding hall is being built.

TKMS said the agreement would consolidate its partnership with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which has existed since 2017, and with other Norwegian subcontractors and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The NDMA and German MoD said the submarines would be used to secure Norway and NATO’s northern flank. The NDMA added that economies of scale would be achieved by operating identical vessels.