News item | 03-15-2024 | 13:24
The French Naval is building the new submarines for Defense. That is the provisional award decision after a careful quotation process. On behalf of the cabinet, State Secretary Christophe van der Maat (Defense) today announced the winning shipyard at the naval base in Den Helder.
Enlarge image Artist impression of the new submarine.
Equipped with the latest systems and technologies, the new submarines are a worthy successor to the Walrus class. Van der Maat, together with the youngest sailor and the youngest officer of the Submarine Service, revealed the names of the new submarines. These are His Majesty’s Orca, Swordfish, Barracuda and Tiger Shark.
“Naval has succeeded in submitting a balanced, versatile and realistic offer. The yard has created a worthy successor to the Walrus class. Dutch industry has a strong role to play in this, an important requirement in this award,” Van der Maat emphasizes. “Not only in construction, but also in maintenance. This decision is therefore not only good for the navy and our security interests, but certainly also for Dutch companies and the building of our knowledge position.”
More possibilities
The 4 new boats are a significant improvement. Not only because the design is newer, but also in many other aspects. For example, the ability to launch cruise missiles significantly increases striking power.
With the latest sensors and communication systems, the new class is even better equipped than its predecessors to collect, analyze and share intelligence.
Intelligence can be decisive in every phase of a conflict and in peacetime.
Thanks to modern battery technology, the new boats also have a greater energy capacity. This allows the boats to stay under water longer and operate without ‘sniffing’; charge the batteries with the diesel engines. This makes them even quieter and less vulnerable to enemy detection.
Rare class
Just like the Walrus class, the new submarines can be deployed worldwide for various types of missions. The new boats, like their predecessors, are also relatively small, which means they can also operate in shallow water.
Because the boats are larger than submarines designed for operations close to their home base, they can also operate independently for long periods far from home. This combination is rare and means that Dutch submarines are highly regarded within NATO.
Provisional award decision
Defense has assessed the tenders in recent months. The outcome of the quotation assessment is a total assessment and a provisional winner. After the quotation has been assessed in the House of Representatives, the delivery contract will be signed.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) assessed the proposals for an industrial cooperation agreement (ICA). This is intended to strengthen the Dutch Technological and Industrial Base (NLDTIB), consisting of approximately 1,000 companies. The winning yard must contribute to this. It is important that the winning yard must agree on the ICA. This is a condition for the award.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will also be concluded between the Dutch government and France. The MoU contains agreements on usage rights, information security and knowledge exchange, among other things.
Safe passage
It has been agreed with Naval that it will deliver the first 2 new submarines within 10 years after signing the delivery contract.
Defense has taken measures so that the current Walrus class submarines can continue sailing safely until the mid-2030s. Two of the 4 boats are gradually being taken out of service. This leaves spare parts available for the remaining boats, which require more maintenance as they age.
2024-03-15 12:24:00
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