According to information published by the Dutch Ministry of Defence on 28 May 2021, the project to replace the four Walrus-class submarines is progressing, which are in service since the 1990s.
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Walrus-class submarine (Picture source: Brian Wotherspoon)
Three candidate shipyards are still in discussion for the replacement of the submarines: Naval Group, Saab and ThyssenKrupp.
Furthermore, the Dutch Ministry of Defense wants delivery of the first new submarine from 2028 and at least two submarines fully operational by the end of 2031.
The Walrus-class submarine is the only submarine class currently in operation in the Royal Netherlands Navy. The boats have been in service since 1990. The Walrus-class fleet of Dutch Navy comprises four ships, which include the S802 Walrus, S803 Zeeleeuw, S808 Dolfijn and S810 Bruinvis.
The design of the Walrus-class ships is based on the basic hull line of the Zwaardvis-class submarines. She has a similar outline and dimensions to that of her predecessor Zwaardvis. The Walrus-class submarine boasts a twin-hull configuration in a teardrop shape to achieve increased underwater speed and a smaller acoustic signature. It is powered by diesel-electric propulsion systems. There are three SEMPT-Pielstick 12-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines. The lone main motor is an electric motor is manufactured by Holec.
The submarines are armed with four 21in Honeywell Mk 48 Mod 4 and Mk 48 ADCAP. The ships can carry 40 mines in lieu of torpedoes.
They can also be equipped with McDonnell Douglas Sub-Harpoon surface-to-surface missile (SSM). The Dutch government, however, has not purchased any SSMs for the submarines.
