Italy Purchases Two Additional U212A Class Submarines

Released on Thursday, November 13, 2008

On 11th November 2008 the Italian shipyard Fincantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. and the German Submarine Consortium signed a contract in Genoa for the delivery of components for two Class 212A submarines. The German Submarine Consortium for Italy is made up of Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) and TKMS Blohm + Voss Nordseewerke GmbH (BVN) � both companies belong to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems � and MarineForce International LLP.

HDW and BVN will deliver construction documents and components, such as for the fuel cell propulsion system, the torpedo tube bow section and other smaller components for the 2nd batch. This will increase to 24 the number of submarines at sea around the world equipped with an HDW fuel cell propulsion system.

The two Class 212A boats to be built by Fincantieri in Muggiano for the Italian Navy are sister ships to the 1st batch of these submarines. The first two boats were also built in Italy to German specifications and documentation, and they have been in operational service in the Italian Navy since 2006 and 2007. Delivery of the new boats is scheduled for September 2015 and September 2016.