On April 9, 2020, "S43" as the third of four HDW Class 209/1400mod submarines was officially handed over by German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to the Navy of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Following the very strict corona prevention measures at the shipyard, the handover took place in Kiel without a ceremony, amongst only the inner circle of project managers.
On April 9, 2020, "S43" as the third of four HDW Class 209/1400mod submarines was officially handed over by German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to the Navy of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Following the very strict corona prevention measures at the shipyard, the handover took place in Kiel without a ceremony, amongst only the inner circle of project managers.
On April 9, 2020, "S43" as the third of four HDW Class 209/1400mod submarines was officially handed over by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to the Navy of the Arab Republic of Egypt. (Picture source TKMS)
Dr. Rolf Wirtz, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, stated: "Given the global corona pandemic, this handover marks a very special milestone for us. We are extremely proud of our employees, who completed the boat on time and in line with our comprehensive health protection measures. A big thank you for this. With tremendous care and discipline, something very special has been achieved! Our thanks also go to our customer, who has always put great trust in our capabilities!"
In a personal letter prior to the handover, Vice Admiral Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said, Chief of the Egyptian Navy, praised the high quality of the boat and the outstanding performance of the employees of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. He expressed his gratitude to all of them for ensuring the delivery on schedule. He added that this proves how strong and trustful both sides cooperate even in challenging times.
About "S43": The submarines of the HDW Class 209/1400 mod series are extremely reliable, can stay submerged for a long time, are fast, and are hard to locate thanks to their low signatures. The HDW Class 209/1400mod is the latest version of the HDW Type 209 "family" with over 60 boats built or under contract.
The launch and naming of "S43" took place in May 2019. The first submarine, "S41", was delivered in December 2016 and the second, "S42", in August 2017. It is planned that the program will end with the handover of the fourth boat in 2021.
Like all its predecessors, HDW Class 209/1400mod is a compact and reliable submarine featuring the most recent technology, high combat strength, an extraordinary battery payload and low signatures. Its extensive mission profiles include maritime defense, conflict prevention, surveillance and intelligence-gathering tasks as well as special forces operations.
