On January 30, German naval shipbuilder TKMS announced via its official website that the Norwegian government has given the green light to the procurement of two additional Type 212CD submarines.
Following the official contract signing, TKMS has secured a full order extension for the ongoing Type 212CD submarine program – one of the largest orders in the company’s corporate history. This brings the total number of the submarines slated for the Royal Norwegian Navy to six, up from the original four.
With advanced situational awareness capabilities, enhanced connectivity with allied units, and an even lower signature, the Class 212CD sets new standards worldwide as the most advanced conventional submarine.
The cooperative approach not only offers a solution that is compatible with NATO forces and meets demanding global operational standards, including those in the Arctic, but also provides advantages in terms of cooperation in research and development, training, crew, logistics, and maintenance. This results in positive effects in terms of costs and added value for German and Norwegian industry.
The German federal government signed the contract for the procurement of its four optional submarines back in December 2024. This increased the number of 212CD submarines ordered from TKMS for the German Navy from the original two to a total of six submarines. With the Norwegian order extension, the program has now reached its planned maximum order volume of twelve submarines.
The next phase involves the possibility of expanding the program to potentially include up to twelve Canadian submarines. TKMS is working with its German and Norwegian partners in the ongoing competitive bidding process to achieve this.
CEO Oliver Burkhard emphasizes the importance of the German-Norwegian submarine program and the Norwegian order extension: “With this strategically important and now growing project, we are making a decisive contribution to strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities and the relationship between the two countries. We are equally pleased about the continued trust placed in the quality of our work and products, as well as the existing partnership.”
TKMS is one of the world’s leading naval companies with more than 9,100 employees (including temporary workers) at three shipyards in Kiel, Wismar and Itajaí (Brazil), and with locations worldwide. The company is active as a systems supplier for submarines and naval surface vessels as well as for maritime electronics and security technologies. Around 3,300 employees work at the Kiel site, making it the largest shipyard location in Germany. 185 years of history and the constant striving for improvement allow the company to set new standards time and time again. TKMS offers its customers worldwide tailored solutions to meet the highly complex challenges of a changing world.