![]() Type 206A-class profile | |
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Class overview | |
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Builders | |
Operators | |
Preceded by | Type 205 submarine |
Succeeded by | Type 212 submarine, Type 209 submarine |
Subclasses | Gal-class submarine |
Built | 1969–1975 |
In commission |
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Completed | 18 |
Active | 2 |
Retired | 16 |
Preserved | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Type 206A submarine |
Displacement |
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Length | 48.49 metres (159 ft 1 in) |
Beam | 4.58 metres (15 ft 0 in) |
Draft | 4.30 metres (14 ft 1 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | more than 200 m |
Complement | 22 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Electronic warfare & decoys |
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Armament |
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The Type 206 is a class of diesel-electric submarines (U-boats) developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW). Its design is based on the preceding Type 205 submarine class. These small and agile submarines were built during the Cold War to operate in the shallow Baltic Sea and attack Warsaw Pact shipping in the event of military confrontation. The pressure hulls were built out of non-magnetic steel to counter the threat of magnetic naval mines and make detection with MAD sensors more difficult. The low emission profile allowed the submarines in exercises to intrude even into well-protected opposing forces such as carrier formations with their screen. [2]
Ten Type 205 submarines were constructed between 1962 and 1968 with hulls constructed of a new non-magnetic steel. The early boats, however, suffered from cracking due to stress corrosion and an urgent programme was initiated to develop a new steel which overcame these problems, which received much publicity at the time. The new high-strength, non-magnetic, austenitic steel has greater elasticity and good dynamic strength, and has proved very satisfactory in service, thoroughly overcoming the doubts that were raised by those early problems, although it has never been selected by IKL's many export customers and thus remains unique to German Navy submarines. Subsequently, the Type 206 was designed by Ingenieur Kontor Lübeck (IKL) in 1964–65 and a production order was placed on 7 June 1969 for eight from HDW in Kiel and ten from Nordseewerke in Emden.
Of the 18 submarines built for the Bundesmarine (West German Navy), 12 were modernized in the early 1990s and were re-designated as Type 206A; the others have been decommissioned. The current German Navy is starting to decommission some 206A vessels, with more of the new Type 212 submarines being commissioned. In June 2010 the Ministry of Defence announced that all six remaining vessels were to be retired from active service immediately and to be decommissioned by the end of 2010 to cut costs. There are no type 206 submarines left in active service with the German Navy. [3]
A slightly modified variant of the Type 206 (which includes the distinctive dome, or bulge, in the front of the boat), the Gal-class submarine for the Israeli Navy was built to Israeli specifications as the Vickers Type 540 in the UK rather than Germany for political reasons. Three such boats were built, the first being commissioned in 1976. When the Israeli navy received its new Dolphin-class submarines (also built by HDW), the Gals were retired. As of 2006, one had been scrapped and two had been sent to HDW in an attempt to find a buyer for them. When no buyer was found, one of the submarines was returned to Israel for display in the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum.
A major mid-life modernisation was conducted on twelve of these submarines, the boats concerned now being officially designated Type 206A. The work started in mid-1987 and completed in February 1992, being carried out by Nordseewerke, Emden; this upgrade includes:
The STN Atlas DBQS-21D sonar has been fitted, together with new periscopes, and a new weapon control system (LEWA). The ESM system has been replaced and GPS navigation installed. The rebuilt submarines are armed with new torpedoes (Seeaal), and the propulsion system has been comprehensively refurbished, and improvements have been made to the accommodation.
Pennant number | Name | Call sign | Laid down | Launched | Commis- sioned | Decommis- sioned | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S192 | U13 | DRDG | 15 Nov 1969 | 28 Sep 1971 | 19 Apr 1973 | 26 Mar 1997 | was to be sold to Indonesia as KRI Nagarangsang (403), scrapped |
S193 | U14 | DRDH | 1 Mar 1970 | 1 Feb 1972 | 19 Apr 1973 | 26 Mar 1997 | was to be sold to Indonesia as KRI Nagabanda (404), scrapped |
S194 | U15 | DRDI | 1 Jun 1970 | 15 Jun 1972 | 17 Jul 1974 | 14 Dec 2010 | |
S195 | U16 | DRDJ | 1 Nov 1970 | 29 Aug 1972 | 9 Nov 1973 | 3 Mar 2011 | Sold to Colombia for spare parts |
S196 | U17 | DRDK | 1 Oct 1970 | 10 Oct 1972 | 28 Nov 1973 | 14 Dec 2010 | Will be preserved as a museum ship at the Technik Museum Sinsheim. [4] |
S197 | U18 | DRDL | 1 Apr 1971 | 31 Oct 1972 | 19 Dec 1973 | 3 Mar 2011 | Sold to Colombia for spare parts |
S198 | U19 | DRDM | 5 Jan 1971 | 15 Dec 1972 | 9 Nov 1973 | 23 Aug 1998 | was to be sold to Indonesia as KRI Bramastra (405), scrapped |
S199 | U20 | DRDN | 3 Sep 1971 | 16 Jan 1973 | 24 May 1974 | 26 Sep 1996 | was to be sold to Indonesia as KRI Aluguro (407), scrapped |
S170 | U21 | DRDO | 15 Apr 1971 | 9 Mar 1973 | 16 Aug 1974 | 3 Jun 1998 | was to be sold to Indonesia as KRI Cundamani (406), scrapped |
S171 | U22 | DRDP | 18 Nov 1971 | 27 Mar 1973 | 26 Jul 1974 | 18 Dec 2008 | scrapped |
S172 | U23 | DRDQ | 5 Mar 1972 | 25 May 1974 | 2 May 1975 | 3 Mar 2011 | Sold to Colombia as ARC Intrépido [1] |
S173 | U24 | DRDR | 20 Mar 1972 | 26 Jun 1973 | 16 Oct 1974 | 31 Mar 2011 | Sold to Colombia as ARC Indomable [1] |
S174 | U25 | DRDS | 1 Jul 1971 | 23 May 1973 | 14 Jun 1974 | 31 Jan 2008 | currently for sale [5] |
S175 | U26 | DRDT | 14 Jul 1972 | 20 Nov 1973 | 13 Mar 1975 | 9 Nov 2005 | scrapped |
S176 | U27 | DRDU | 1 Oct 1971 | 21 Aug 1973 | 16 Oct 1974 | 13 Jun 1996 | scrapped |
S177 | U28 | DRDV | 4 Oct 1972 | 22 Jan 1974 | 18 Dec 1974 | 30 Jun 2004 | scrapped |
S178 | U29 | DRDW | 10 Jan 1972 | 5 Nov 1973 | 27 Nov 1974 | 31 Dec 2006 | scrapped |
S179 | U30 | DRDX | 5 Dec 1972 | 4 Apr 1974 | 13 Mar 1975 | 31 Jan 2007 | scrapped |
Notes:
The Indonesian Navy intended to acquire five Type 206 submarines in 1997 to supplement its submarine fleet, then consisted of two Cakra-class (Type 209/1300) submarines. [6] On 25 September 1997, Indonesian Navy has taken over two Type 206 submarines and planned to refit them, to be followed by three other submarines. Then in June 1998 Indonesia was running out of funds and the procurement program was cancelled. [8] The vessels were already assigned with names and pennant numbers by the Indonesian Navy by the time it was cancelled. [6]
The Colombian Navy purchased four decommissioned Type 206A submarines to boost its submarine force. [9] Two submarines, named Intrépido (ex-U23) and Indomable (ex-U24) were commissioned into the Colombian Navy on 28 August 2012. Two submarines (ex-U16 and ex-U18) were acquired to be cannibalized for spare parts. On 5 December 2015, Intrépido and Indomable entered active service after a lengthy refit in Germany. [10]
The Type 212A is a class of diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) for the German Navy, and the Italian Navy where it is known as the Todaro class. 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.
HDMS Sælen (S323) is one of the three Tumleren-class small coastal submarines of the Royal Danish Navy.
The Collins-class submarines are Australian-built diesel-electric submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The Collins class takes its name from Australian Vice Admiral John Augustine Collins; each of the six submarines is named after significant RAN personnel who distinguished themselves in action during World War II. The six vessels were the first submarines built in Australia, prompting widespread improvements in Australian industry and delivering a sovereign sustainment/maintenance capability.
Whiskey-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines that the Soviet Union built in the early Cold War period.
The Type 540 Gal-class submarine is a slightly modified variant of the German HDW Type 206 submarine class, modified for Israeli requirements. The Gal class submarines were built to Israeli specifications as the Vickers Type 540 at the Vickers shipyards in Barrow-in-Furness in the UK rather than Germany for political reasons. "Gal" was the name of the son of Abraham (Ivan) Dror, 3rd commander of the squadron and head of the project.
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft is a German shipbuilding company, headquartered in Kiel. It is part of the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) group, owned by ThyssenKrupp. The Howaldtswerke shipyard was founded in Kiel in 1838 and merged with Hamburg-based Deutsche Werft to form Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in 1968. The company's shipyard was formerly used by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft until the end of World War II.
The Type 214 is a class of diesel–electric submarines developed exclusively for export by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW). It features diesel propulsion with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system using Siemens polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cells. The class combines the design principles of the Type 209 submarine family and the features of the Type 212A submarine. However, as an export design, it lacks some of the classified technologies of the Type 212 such as the non-magnetic steel hull that makes it difficult to detect using a magnetic anomaly detector.
The Type 205 was a class of German diesel-electric submarines. They were single-hull vessels optimized for the use in the shallow Baltic Sea. The Type 205 is a direct evolution of the Type 201 class with lengthened hull, new machinery and sensors. The biggest difference though is that ST-52 steel is used for the pressure hull since the Type 201's non-magnetic steel proved to be problematic. Type 206, the follow-on class, finally succeeded with non-magnetic steel hulls.
Nordseewerke Emden GmbH was a shipbuilding company, located in the Emden Harbor of the north German city of Emden. Founded in 1903, shipbuilding ended in 2010, and the company was taken over by the Schaaf Industrie AG, which among other products, makes components for off-shore systems.
The Type 202 submarine was a short lived class of German submarines. Design of these very small submarines started in 1957 by Ingenieurkontor Lübeck (IKL). It was intended to build 40 Type 202 mini submarines with a six-man crew but technical difficulties and doubts about their usefulness reduced them to three, and of those three for trials, to be further reduced to two. The boats were in service only a few months and were scrapped shortly after.
The Type 201 was Germany's first U-boat class built after World War II.
The Kobben class is a customized version of the German Type 205 submarine. Fifteen vessels of this class were built for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy in the 1960s. The class later saw service with Denmark and Poland. The boats have since been withdrawn from service in the Norwegian and Danish navies. The Polish Navy operated two Kobben-class submarines until 2021.
U-31 (S181) is a Type 212A submarine of the German Navy, and the lead ship of her class.
The Type 209 is a range of diesel-electric attack submarines developed exclusively for export by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany. Five class variants, including modifications thereof, have been successfully exported to 15 countries, with 68 submarines being built and commissioned to five different variants between 1971 and 2021. More boats have been built to modified designs.
The Heroine class are a variant of the Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) of Germany, currently in service with the South African Navy. The class is composed of three vessels.
The Type 216 is a submarine design concept announced by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft based on the Type 212/214.
SAS Charlotte Maxeke (S102) is a Heroine-class submarine, a variant of the Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) of Germany, currently in service with the South African Navy. She is named after Charlotte Maxeke, a South African religious leader and political activist.
SAS Queen Modjadji is a variant of the Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) of Germany, currently in service with the South African Navy. She was named after the South African Rain Queen on 14 March 2007 by the ship's sponsor, Mrs. Rita Ndzanga, at a ceremony in Emden, Germany.
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Media related to Type 206 submarine at Wikimedia Commons