Delfinen-class submarine

Last updated
Dolphin class SPRINGEREN submarine, pic-025.JPG
Springeren at the Aalborg Maritime Museum, Denmark
Class overview
NameDelfinen class
BuildersNaval Dockyard, Copenhagen, Denmark
OperatorsNaval Ensign of Denmark.svg  Royal Danish Navy
Preceded by U class
Succeeded by Kobbenclass
Built1954–1964
In commission1961–1990
Completed4
Retired4
Preserved1
General characteristics
Type Submarine
Displacement
  • 605 t (595 long tons) surfaced
  • 653 t (643 long tons) submerged
Length54.5 m (178 ft 10 in)
Beam4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Draught4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) submerged and surfaced
Range4,000  nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
Complement33
Sensors and
processing systems
Active and passive sonar
Armament4 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes

The Delfinen-class submarines were the first class of submarines constructed for the Royal Danish Navy following World War II. They were designed and built within Denmark, with first three boats of the class financed by Denmark. The fourth was financed by the United States (where it was known as SS-554) under the Cost Share program. Constructed between 1956 and 1963, the class comprising four submarines (Delfinen, Spækhuggeren, Tumleren and Springeren) entered service in 1961 and the last taken out of service in 1990. Replaced by the Norwegian Kobbenclass, three of them were scrapped while a fourth was converted into a museum ship and remains on display at the Aalborg Maritime Museum.

Contents

Description

The Delfinen class had a standard displacement of 605 tonnes (595 long tons ) and 643 long tons (653 t) when submerged. They measured 54.5 metres (178 ft 10 in) long with a beam of 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) and a draught of 4 m (13 ft 1 in). The submarines were propelled by two shafts powered by two B&W 1,200-brake-horsepower (895 kW) diesel engines and two BBC 1,200- shaft-horsepower (895  kW ) electric motors. [1] [2] The submarines had a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) both surfaced and submerged and a range of 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). [1] [lower-alpha 1] The submarines were equipped with passive and active sonar and a schnorkel. [1] [4] The Delfinen class were armed with four 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes located in the bow. [1] [lower-alpha 2] They had a complement of 33. [1]

Ships

Delfinen class [1]
NumberNameBuilderLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedFate
S 326 Delfinen Naval Dockyard, Copenhagen, Denmark4 May 19561 August 19612 August 1983Sold for scrapping 11 September 1984. [5]
S 327 Spækhuggeren 20 February 19571 August 196131 July 1989Sold for scrapping, 3 December 1991. [6]
S 328 Tumleren 22 May 19581 August 19616 August 1981Sold for scrapping 7 September 1982. [7]
S 329 Springeren 22 April 196322 October 196431 March 1990Handed over to the Naval Museum in Aalborg as museum ship. [8]

Construction and service

Following World War II, the Royal Danish Navy which had lost the majority of its fleet during the German invasion, was restocked with ex-British Royal Navy submarines on loan and salvaged Danish submarines that had been scuttled during the war. Denmark joined NATO and was assigned the defence of the Baltic Sea which led to an emphasis on submarines. [9] The Delfinen class marked the Royal Danish Navy's first new submarines in the post war era. Designed by the Danish and constructed at the Naval Shipyard in Copenhagen, the first three vessels in the class were paid for the Danish and were constructed between 1956 and 1961. [1] The fourth submarine of the class, Springeren, was financed by the United States and known as SS-554. [2]

The class remained in service until the beginning of the 1980s, when the Royal Danish Navy intended to replace them with former Norwegian Kobben-classsubmarines in 1986. Only three Kobben-class units were acquired due to a lack of funds and Springeren remained in service until 1990. [10] Springeren is preserved as a museum ship at the Naval Museum in Aalborg. [8]

Notes

  1. The website navalhistory.dk states that the vessels had a standard displacement of 582 t (573 long tons) and 659 t (649 long tons) submerged. They measured 53.9 m (176 ft 10 in) long, that their electric motors were capable of 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) and were only capable of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced whiled maintaining the same range at 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph). [3] Couhat also has the range at 8.5 knots with a maximum speed of 13 knots surfaced and 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) submerged. [2]
  2. According to the website navalhistory.dk, the vessels shipped with eight torpedoes. [3]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 77.
  2. 1 2 3 Couhat 1986, p. 86.
  3. 1 2 "Delfinen class (1961–1990)". navalhistory.dk. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  4. Blackman 1960, p. 129.
  5. "Delfinen (1961–1983)". navalhistory.dk. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  6. "Spækhuggeren (1959–1989)". navalhistory.dk. Archived from the original on 24 October 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  7. "Tumleren (1961–1981)". navalhistory.dk. Archived from the original on 22 September 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Springeren (1964–1990)". navalhistory.dk. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  9. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 73.
  10. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, pp. 77–78.

Related Research Articles

<i>Almirante Padilla</i>-class frigate

The Almirante Padilla-class frigates is a series of frigates operated by the Colombian Navy. The designation of this class is Type FS 1500 and there are four ships in service. The ships were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) at Kiel, West Germany in the 1980s, with the first vessel commissioning in 1983 and the last in 1984. The frigates have undergone significant modification over their careers with the 2012 Orion Program Upgrade significantly modernising the vessels. Two similar ships operate as the Kasturi-class corvettes in the Royal Malaysian Navy.

<i>Vidar</i>-class minelayer

The Vidar-class minelayers consists of the two ships, HNoMS Vidar and HNoMS Vale built by Mjellem & Karlsen in Bergen for the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1977 and 1978. Used as multi-role ships, the Vidar class were tasked with minelaying, personnel/cargo transport, fisheries protection, torpedo-recovery ships and as anti-submarine warfare escorts in Norwegian service. In 2003, Vale was transferred to the Latvian Navy via donation and renamed Virsaitis and used as a flagship and tender to patrol craft. In 2006, Vidar was transferred to the Lithuanian Navy and renamed Jotvingis and served as flagship and tender to mine countermeasures craft. Both vessels had their ASW equipment removed upon transfer.

<i>Aréthuse</i>-class submarine

The Aréthuse class were submarines built for the French Navy in the 1950s. They were designed as attack submarines for anti-submarine warfare and were referred to as Sous-marins de Chasse by the French Navy. These submarines had advanced sensors and were very quiet. They were influenced by the World War II German Type XXIII U-boats. The Daphné class are an enlarged version built for the French, Pakistani, Portuguese, Spanish and South African navies.

NNS <i>Aradu</i>

NNS Aradu (F89) is a Nigerian frigate. She is the first of the MEKO 360 general purpose frigates built by the German Blohm + Voss company of Hamburg. The 125.6-metre ship is the largest in the Nigerian Navy. As a general purpose frigate, Aradu has capabilities for anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare effectively, and participated in the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar. The ship also possesses capability for naval fire support and electronic warfare. Additionally, she carries a ship-borne helicopter for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and enhanced surveillance/detection.

HMS <i>Olympus</i> (S12) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Olympus was an Oberon-class submarine that served in the Royal Navy, and later in the Canadian Forces as a submarine trainer.

Kuha-class minesweeper (1974)

The Kuha-class minesweepers is a series of six inshore minesweepers of the Finnish Navy. The ships were constructed in 1974–1975. All the vessels of the class were modified and modernized in the late 1990s, including a lengthening of the hull. Two of the class were withdrawn from service in 2012. The rest of the class will be retired with the entry into service of the Katanpää-class mine countermeasure vessels.

<i>João Coutinho</i>-class corvette

The João Coutinho-class corvettes were a series of warships built for the Portuguese Navy for service in Portugal's African and Indian colonies. Initially rated as frigates, they were downgraded first to corvettes and then patrol vessels with age. They were designed in Portugal by naval engineer Rogério de Oliveira, but the urgent need of their services in the Portuguese Colonial War meant that the construction of the ships was assigned to foreign shipyards. Six ships were built; the first three ships were built by Blohm & Voss and the remaining three by Empresa Nacional Bazán. The ships were launched in 1970 and 1971. The relative cheap cost of the design led to it being the basis of several other classes in other navies. From 1970 until the end of the conflict in 1975, the corvettes were used for patrol and fire-support missions in Angola, Mozambique, Guinea and Cape Verde. After the African colonies gained their independence, the corvettes were assigned to patrol duties in Portuguese territorial waters.

<i>Sjöormen</i>-class submarine Submarines built for the Swedish Navy

The Sjöormen class was a class of submarines built for the Swedish Navy in the late 1960s. They had a teardrop hull shape and were capable of diving to 150 metres (490 ft). At the time of their deployment they were regarded as one of the most advanced non-nuclear submarine-classes in the world, incorporating many new features including x-rudder and anechoic tiles. Both speed and underwater endurance was at this time very high for a conventional submarine. The submarines were retired by Sweden in the early 1990s. In the late 1990s, four submarines were acquired by the Republic of Singapore Navy and relaunched as the Challenger class following modernisation and tropicalisation.

Poti-class corvette

The Poti class was the NATO reporting name for a group of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes built for the Soviet Navy. The Soviet designation was Project 204 small anti-submarine ships. These ships were the first Soviet warships powered by gas turbine engines; two propellers were mounted in tunnels to give a very shallow draught. A twin 57 mm (2 in) gun mounting provided self-defence. Three ships of the class were exported to Romania and six to Bulgaria during the Cold War. By 2008, all ships of the class were no longer extent.

Don-class submarine tender

The Don-class submarine tender was the NATO reporting name for a group of seven submarine tenders built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1950s. The Soviet designation was Project 310 Batur. Evolving from a need for dispersed basing of submarines in the advent of a nuclear war, the ships were designed to support distant operations of the Soviet Union's submarine fleet, capable of repairing and resupplying. However, the Soviets returned to stationary basing of their submarines and the Don class were later converted into flagships. One vessel was exported to Indonesia in 1962 and due to the ship's heavy armament, was used primarily for patrol duties. The ships of the Don class were removed from service in the mid 1990s and broken up for scrap.

<i>Mendoza</i>-class destroyer

The Mendoza class were a series of three destroyers built in the United Kingdom for the Argentine Navy in the 1920s. They were the first part of the Argentine re-armament programme of the 1920s. Construction began in 1927 and all three were commissioned in 1929. All three destroyers were converted to anti-aircraft escorts in 1958 and remained in service until 1962 when they were discarded.

BAP <i>Abtao</i>

BAP Abtao (SS-42) is an Abtao-class submarine of the Peruvian Navy. The vessel which was originally named BAP Tiburón ("Shark"), was constructed by the American Electric Boat company in the United States and launched in 1953. The Abtao class were the last submarines constructed by the United States for the export market. The submarine entered service in 1954 and by presidential decree, was renamed Abtao for the battle during the Chincha Islands War.

The Abtao class were four submarines of the Peruvian Navy that entered service between 1954 and 1957. They are also known as the Lobo class and the Dos de Mayo class and were constructed in the United States to a design based upon the United States Navy's Mackerel class. They were the last submarines to be constructed by the United States for the export market. All four submarines were powered by a diesel-electric system and armed with six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. Two of the submarines also mounted a 5 in (127 mm)/25 caliber gun. The four submarines, initially named for animals, were all renamed in 1957 for famous Peruvian battles. Beginning in 1991, the submarines were taken out of service, with the last decommissioned in 1999. One, BAP Abtao, is a museum ship located in Lima, Peru.

Senegalese patrol vessel <i>Poponquine</i>

The Senegalese patrol vessel Poponquine is a Senegalese Navy patrol vessel. Poponquine was ordered in 1973 as one of three ships of the PR 48 class, locally known as the Saint-Louis class. The vessel was constructed in France and entered service in 1974. She has served on joint patrols with United States vessels.

SAS Spear, initially known as the SAS Maria van Riebeeck, was a Daphné-class submarine of the South African Navy (SAN). Built in France during the 1960s, the boat was the SAN's first submarine. It was scrapped in June–July 2003.

HMCS Cormorant was a Bird-class patrol vessel of the Royal Canadian Navy. The patrol vessel entered service in 1956 and was paid off in 1963. Held in reserve, Cormorant was discarded in the 1970s.

HMCS Chaleur was a Bay-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Cold War. Entering service in 1957, the minesweeper was used mainly as a training ship on the West Coast of Canada. The vessel was discarded in 1998 and broken up in 1999.

HMCS Chignecto was a Bay-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Cold War. The ship entered service in 1953 and in 1954, was transferred to the French Navy and renamed La Bayonnaise. Serving as a minesweeper until 1973, the ship became a territorial patrol ship and remained in service until 1976. La Bayonnaise was broken up for scrap in 1977.

HMCS Fundy was a Bay-class minesweeper that was constructed for the Royal Canadian Navy during the Cold War. Entering service in 1956, the vessel was used as a training ship on the West Coast of Canada for the majority of her career. Fundy was decommissioned in 1996 and the fate of the vessel is unknown.

French submarine <i>Romazotti</i>

The French submarine Romazotti (Q114) was a Lagrange-class submarine built for the French Navy built between 1914 and 1918, during World War I. It was laid down in the Arsenal de Toulon shipyards and launched on March 31, 1918. Romazotti was completed in 1918 and served in the French Marine Nationale until 1937.

References