Germany Submarine Capabilities

The German Navy currently operates a flotilla of six new hybrid diesel-electric/fuel cell air independent propulsion (AIP) Type 212A submarines, commissioned between 2004 and 2015.¹ For a period of time between 2017 and 2018 all of Germany’s submarines were inactive due to a variety of maintenance needs, but as of today all vessels have reentered active service.²

Total Submarines in Fleet: 6

• Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBNs): 0
• Nuclear-Powered attack submarines (SSNs): 0
• Diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs): 6
• Air-independent propulsion (AIP) enabled: 6/6

Submarines

During the past decade, the German Navy has expanded its operating area to cover the littoral waters of Northern Europe, the North Atlantic, and the Mediterranean Sea.³ To meet these demands, Germany developed a new class of submarines that could operate in both the open sea and littoral waters.⁴ The new Type 212A has a greater range, diving depth, and displacement than its predecessor. It also features improved communications systems and reconnaissance capabilities.⁵ All 212A vessels are equipped with AIP technology developed by the German corporation Siemens which allows the submarines to submerge for longer periods of time.⁶

In support of new operational priorities, Germany plans to equip the 212A with a land-attack capability.⁷ The Interactive Defence and Attack System for Submarines (IDAS) utilizes a wire-guided missile to engage helicopters and mobile targets on shore.⁸ In May 2013 Turkish company Roketsan, Germany company Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, and German arms manufacturer Diehl Defence signed an agreement to jointly develop the IDAS missile.⁹ A major impediment to the development of this technology is defense budget cuts that have stalled the program.¹⁰

In October 2017, the U35 damaged its rudder during a diving maneuver and joined three other 212A boats in the Kiel shipyard. However, by December 2018 the U36, U31, and U33 were able to return to sea. In May 2019 the U-36 ran aground while departing the Royal Norwegian Navy base of Haakonsvern.¹¹

In July 2021, Germany began a joint project with Norway to develop the 212CD.¹² The German navy ordered two of these ships and the Norwegian navy ordered six. The German ship builder TKMS is working with Kongsberg, a Norwegian ship builder, in order to develop and construct the 212CD. Construction of the first submarine is scheduled for 2023, and will be completed by 2029.¹³

Ship Biographies

Class 212A

Germany possesses six of Class 212A diesel-electric attack submarines and all are equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP) system. These submarines are about 56 meters long with a 7-meter-wide beam and can travel up to 20 knots when submerged. Their weapons systems can fire torpedoes using six 533mm torpedo tubes.¹⁴

Class 212CD

These submarines will have a surface displacement of 2,500 tons, a 65% increase from the 212A. They will be 73 meters in length, 10 meters in diameter, and 2 meters tall. This large increase in size is due to the 212CD being enclosed in an outer hull. This outer hull is shaped to avoid active sonar. It follows a similar principle as stealth aircraft and has a flat exterior in order to minimize the signal that is bounced back to enemy ships.¹⁵

Imports

Germany does not import submarines.

Exports

German naval shipyards export submarines to countries all over the world.¹⁶ The ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) group, which includes Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), Atlas Elktronik, and Hellenic Shipyards Company in Greece, offers four types of non-nuclear submarines for export: Type 209, Type 212A, Type 214, and Type 218SG.

Type 209 submarines are diesel-electric patrol vessels. HDW has exported over fifty Type 209 submarines to a dozen countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, South Korea, and Turkey.¹⁷ In 2004, Portugal ordered two Type 209 vessels (fitted according to Type 214 specifications), which were delivered by HDW in late 2010.¹⁸ More recently, TKMS contracted to help upgrade Peru’s four Type 209 submarines in a €40 million deal in 2016.¹⁹

Type 214 submarines are hybrid diesel-electric/AIP long-range submarines. They incorporate design features from Type 209 and 212A vessels and have been sold to a number of countries, notably South Korea, Greece, and Turkey.²⁰ South Korea, as a part of their Korean Attack Submarine Program (KSS), is in the process of adding nine Type 214 vessels to its existing fleet of nine Type 209 class submarines. Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), two companies that are planning to merge into one shipbuilding company, are building the vessels with assistance from HDW.²¹ Two of the nine have been launched.²²

Germany also exports modified versions of its Type 212 A and Type 214 submarines, known as the Dolphin-class and the AIP Dolphin 2-class respectively, to Israel. These vessels are longer in length and have greater underwater autonomy capabilities.²³ In October 2017, Germany and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding for Germany to provide three more Dolphin-class submarines starting in 2027 to add to Israel’s arsenal of six Dolphin-class submarines.²⁴

Type 218SG submarines are hybrid diesel-electric/AIP vessels with longer endurance and features to silence operations. They are modeled after the Type 214 with features from the 212A.²⁵ The Republic of Singapore’s Navy (RSN) ordered four Type 218SG submarines in 2013 in a $2.18 billion contract with TKMS.²⁶ The first boat will be delivered in 2021.²⁷