Replacement of Dutch Walrus-class submarines delayed

The replacement of the Royal Netherlands Navy's four Walrus-class diesel submarines will probably take longer than expected because talks are dragging on between the Dutch MoD and Naval Group, Saab Kockums, and TKMS. (Dutch MoD)

The replacement of the Royal Netherlands Navy's four Walrus-class diesel submarines will probably take longer than expected because talks with the three bidding shipyards are dragging on and the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking more information, Defence Minister Henk Kemp informed parliament on 27 October. The MoD said on its website the same day that this was partly due to its questions being more detailed than the shipyards were used to at this stage of the talks and that the ministry needed more time to analyse the information they provided.

In December 2019 the Dutch MoD downselected the shipyards bidding to replace the Walrus-class submarine to Naval Group, Saab Kockums, and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).

The beginning of the second round of talks, to further examine concepts and whether the bids meet the MoD's requirements, has been postponed from September to December, according to the ministry, which added that it was no longer feasible to sign the contract at the end of 2022 as planned. The Walrus-class submarines entered service in the 1990s and were to be replaced starting in 2028 and phased out by the end of 2031.

The MoD said it was examining the lessons learned from the submarine replacement programme for other equipment projects and how to ensure it continues to run smoothly. In addition, a working group is examining how to extend the service lives of Walrus-class submarines, taking into account financial and operational risks. Kamp intends to inform parliament on the results next spring.