Work Starts On New Norwegian Submarine Yard

The foundation stone has been laid in Bergen at the site of a brand-new maintenance facility to service a fleet of submarines being built in a German-Norwegian partnership deal.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his Norwegian counterpart Bjørn Arild Gram marked the start of construction at the new yard earlier this week at a special ceremony.

Under the terms of the strategic alliance, initially six Class 212CD subs will built; four are destined for the Norwegian Navy and two for the German fleet. However, both countries have since voiced a desire to acquire extra boats, citing increased Russian threats as the reason. Norway may order two more and Germany another four, potentially doubling the initial order.

Construction of the submarines themselves began in Kiel, Germany, in September last year shortly after the agreement was struck. The vessels will be an upgraded version of the Class 212A already in use in the German fleet.

The new vessels will feature enhanced sensor technology, extra range and smaller acoustic signatures, as well as an upgraded combat control system with the capacity to process larger amounts of sensor data. As per a recent Bundeswehr press statement this will offer crews "new options for creating situation reports and improves networking with allied units." 

The first of the new submarines is scheduled to be delivered to Norway in 2029, while the German Navy is expected to receive its first boat in 2032.

The dedicated maintenance yard for the 212CD fleet being built at the Haakonsvern naval base near Bergen is scheduled to be ready by the time the first submarine is commissioned. The yard will also house the joint lifecycle management office for the submarines and will be staffed by personnel from both countries. 

"This maintenance center is another milestone in our exceptional partnership and a great example of how our two countries are consistently pursuing a common path," said Minister Pistorius at the groundbreaking ceremony. He added: "We developed it together. We are building it together. And we will operate and maintain it together."

"By deepening our relations in the areas of politics, military, material management and industry, we are demonstrating the true power of allied synergies, the benefits of which extend far beyond this single project," commented Norwegian Minister Gram. 

The submarine deal is part of a wider cooperation agreement between Germany and Norway that will also see the German Navy procure the Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) an anti-ship guided projectile, for its fleet in 2026. In Bergen both ministers voiced their enthusiasm for further joint armament projects.

• You can read more details on the German Ministry of Defence website