The Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export in the late 1960s by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany. Despite not being operated by the German Navy, the class has been successfully exported to 13 countries with over 60 boats being constructed.
Development
In the early 1970’s, many navies began to need replacements for pre-WWII submarines, aging United States GUPPY conversions, and British units transferred postwar.[5] During this time, few western submarine designs were available for export as most were large, expensive, and designed for the Cold War. Several designs originally built for specific nations were available including the French Daphne Class, British Oberon Class, and the Soviet Foxtrot Class submarines.[6] The design, designated by the German Ministry of Defense as the “Type 209” provided a solution with an adequate armament and reasonable price.
Design
The submarine was designed by Ingenieur Kontor Lübeck (IKL) and is largely based on previous German submarine designs (Type 206) with increased equipment. The design is single hulled and allows the commanding officer to see the entire submarine from the bow to stern while standing at the periscope.[6] Four 120-cell batteries are located forward and aft of the command center in the lower deck and make up about 25% of the ships displacement. Two main ballast tanks with forward and aft trim tanks allow the ship to dive. They are powered by four MTU diesels and four AEG generators.The AEG electric motor is attached directly to a five or seven bladed propeller.
Armaments
Type 209 submarines are armed with 8 bow 533 mm torpedo tubes and 14 torpedoes. The ships used by Greece, South Korea, and Turkey are also armed with Sub-Harpoon missiles. Ships used by South Korea can be armed with 28 Mines in place of Torpedoes and Harpoon while the Indian ships can carry 24 Mines externally.
The class can be armed with a variety of torpedo models depending upon the country. The majority of ships carry SUT - Surface and Underwater Target (Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Greece, India, Indonesia, South Korea) or the SST - Special Surface Target (Argentina, Peru, Turkey, Venezuela) torpedoes. Ships can also carry the Mark 24 Tigerfish (Brazil, Turkey)[4] and Mark 37 (Argentina).
Brazil’s ships will receive new integrated combat systems from Lockheed Martin to enable the use of the Mark 48 torpedo.
Variants
Five variants of this submarine have been produced: Type 209/1100, Type 209/1200, Type 209/1300, Type 209/1400 and Type 209/1500. The U-209PN ordered by the Portuguese Navy is actually a Type 214.
Several modifications have occurred in the class resulting in these variants including the fitting of newer diesel engines. New air conditioning and electronics features have been added to accommodate orders from South America. The displacement in some variants has increased by nearly 50% in order to install new equipment, modernize accommodations, and extend range.
The Thomson class built for the Chilean Navy has escape hatches fitted in the torpedo and engine room. An additional aft hatch is fitted in the sail with access to the machinery.The boats are fitted with higher masts to compensate for regional ocean wave conditions.
The Tikuna class built by the Brazilian navy is a modified Type 209/1400. The boat is 0.85 m longer and fitted with higher power diesels, different electric motors, batteries, electronics and sensors.
The Shishumar class built for and by India is unique for having an IKL-designed integrated escape sphere. The sphere has accommodations for the entire crew with an eight hour air supply.
The Sabalo class built for Venezuela was slightly lengthened during an modernization at HDW in the early 1990s. The increased length is due to the addition of a new sonar dome that is similar to the model found on the German Type 206.
It is also possible to upgrade these submarines with the latest air independent propulsion (AIP) systems. The first ships to receive this upgrade were to be three ships of the Greek Poseidon class Type 209/1200 under the Neptune II upgrade program. They were to be upgraded by cutting the boat in half aft of the control room and adding a 6 m plug with an 120 kW Siemens AIP system to the ship.[10][13] The program was canceled in 2009 due to cancellation of the Archimedes Project (Type 214), but not before Okeanos (S118) completed the upgrade.[14] Instead of upgrading the remaining two Type 209's, two additional Type 214 ships will be ordered when the final settlement agreement is signed over the Archimedes Project ships.
The Dolphin class submarines built for the Israeli navy are a based on the Type 209 although heavily modified and enlarged.
Service
Countries operating the Type 209 include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Greece, India, Indonesia, Peru, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and Venezuela. All Type 209’s remain in service except for ARA San Luis (S-32) which was stricken in 1997 after an incomplete overhaul. Iran had an order for six Type-209 submarines that was cancelled by Khomeini in 1979.
The first user was the Hellenic Navy which operates four Type 209/1100 and four Type 209/1200 submarines.
The largest operator of the Type 209 is the Turkish Navy which operates six Type 209/1200 submarines (commissioned between 1976 and 1990) and eight Type 209/1400 submarines (commissioned between 1994 and 2007). At present, the Turkish Navy is also the largest operator of German designed submarines in the world.
Three new Type 209/1400 submarines were delivered to South Africa in 2006, costing $285 million each.
Between 2004 and 2005, the Indonesian Type 209/1300 submarine Cakra underwent a refurbishment by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea. The refurbished submarine featured new batteries, overhauled engines, and modernized combat system.[17] In 2009, Daewoo won another order to refurbish Nanggala, which will be completed by 2011. Daewoo is additionally offering to construct two modified Chang Bogo class Type 209 for Indonesia.[18] The deal is reported to be valued at $700 million. South Korea is currently the only country outside of Germany offering the Type 209 for sale.
Type 209's often serve with other foreign submarine designs or are scheduled to be replaced by them in several navies. Argentina ordered several TR-1700 class submarines during the 1980's. Kilo class submarines were purchased by India in the 1980s, while Indonesia is considering them for future purchase. Chile has added Scorpène class submarines, while Brazil and India have ships ordered and under construction. The aging Glaukos class were to be replaced by the Papanikolis class Type 214 submarines, but the contract was cancelled in 2009. South Korea has commissioned and are building Son Won-il class Type 214 submarines to supplement its force. Turkey cancelled the Atılay class mid-life refit and will instead be replacing them with Type 214 submarines
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