Type 212A submarine

"Type 212 submarine" redirects here. For other uses, see Type 212CD submarine.
"Type 212 submarine" redirects here. For other uses, see U212 NFS submarine.

212A-class profile
U-34 underway
Class overview
BuildersHowaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW), Fincantieri SpA
Operators
Preceded byType 206 submarine (Germany), Sauro class submarine (Italy), Ula-class submarine (Norway)
Succeeded byType 216 submarine
Subclasses
Cost€280-560 million [1]
Built1998–present
In commission2005–present
Planned20
Completed10
Active10
General characteristics
Displacement
  • 1,524 tonnes (1,500 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,830 tonnes (1,800 long tons) submerged
Length
  • 56 metres (183 ft 9 in)
  • 57.20 metres (187 ft 8 in) (2nd batch)
Beam6.80 metres (22 ft 4 in)
Draught6.40 metres (21 ft 0 in)
Decks2
Installed power1 × MTU-396 16V (2,150 kW); 1 × Siemens Permasyn electric motor Type FR6439-3900KW (2,850 kW)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) submerged[4]
Range8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
Endurance3 weeks without snorkeling, 12 weeks overall
Test depth
  • 250 metres (820 ft)
  • crush depth over 700 m (2,296 ft)[5]
Complement5 officers, 22 men
Sensors and
processing systems		CSU 90 (DBQS-40FTC), Sonar: ISUS90-20, Radar: Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band nav.,
Electronic warfare
& decoys		EADS FL 1800U suite
Armament6 × 533 millimetres (21 in) torpedo tubes (in 2 forward pointing groups of 3) with 13[6] DM2A4, Black Shark torpedo, IDAS missiles and 24 external naval mines (optional)

The Type 212A is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) for the German Navy (German: U-Boot-Klasse 212 A), and the Italian Navy where it is known as the Todaro class.[7] It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system using Siemens proton-exchange membrane (PEM) compressed hydrogen fuel cells. The submarines can operate at high speed on diesel power or switch to the AIP system for silent slow cruising, staying submerged for up to three weeks with little exhaust heat. The system is also said to be vibration-free and virtually undetectable.

The Type 212 is the first fuel cell propulsion system equipped submarine series.

  1. ^ "TKMS baut sechs neue U-Boote in Kiel" [TKMS builds six new U-boats in Kiel] (in German). 3 February 2017. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  2. ^ "MTU 16V 396 diesel engine". Archived from the original on 6 December 2006. Retrieved 8 October 2006.
  3. ^ Holger Naaf: Die Brennstoffzelle auf U 212 A (PDF, German). Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau, Wehrtechnische Dienststelle für Schiffe und Marinewaffen Eckernförde, 23. September 2008.
  4. ^ "Uboote Klasse 212A". Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Deutsche Marine TV-Interview" (in German). Retrieved 17 April 2007.
  6. ^ "Dette er ubåtsjefens våte drøm - nyheter". Dagbladet.no. 18 November 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Classe Todaro page at Marina Militare website". Retrieved 27 April 2010.