Chilean submarine Thomson (SS-20)

Thomson at Coquimbo, 1996
History
Chile
NameThomson
NamesakeManuel Thomson
BuilderHowaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel
Launched28 October 1982
Commissioned31 August 1984
HomeportTalcahuano
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeThomson class (Type 209/1400-L)
Displacement
  • 1,260 long tons (1,280 t) surfaced
  • 1,586 long tons (1,611 t) submerged
Length61.2 m (200 ft 9 in)
Beam6.25 m (20 ft 6 in)
Draft5.5 m (18 ft 1 in)
Depth300m
Installed power2400 HP 4600 HP (submerged)
PropulsionDiesel-electric

• 4 diesel engines

• 1 axle
Speed
  • 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced
  • 22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph) submerged
Range
  • 10,000 km (6,200 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (surface)
  • 8,000 km (5,000 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (snorkeling)
  • 400 km (250 mi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) (submerged)
  • 50 days
Complement33
Armament8 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes for 16 Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes

Thomson (SS-20) is a Type 209 submarine, 1400-l variant and referred to as the Thomson class. The boat was built for the Chilean Navy by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft shipyards in Kiel, Germany. The boats namesake is Manuel Thomson Porto Mariño, who died as commander of the Huáscar, during the blockade of Arica in the War of the Pacific.

Thomson is homeported in Talcahuano. A systems modernisation was carried out between 2007 and 2009.[1]

She has one sister ship in Chilean service Simpson.

  1. ^ "Chile Submarine Capabilities". www.nti.org. Retrieved 26 August 2021.