Portugal Orders Two Class 209 PN Submarines

Released on Thursday, April 22, 2004

The Portuguese government signed a contract in Lisbon with the German Submarine Consortium (GSC) for the construction of two Class 209 PN submarines with an option for one additional submarine.

The contract worth €800 million ($1 billion) was signed along with a countertrade package contract as offset. The two submarines ordered by Portugal will be delivered to the Portuguese Navy in 2009 and 2010.

The Class 209 PN submarines to be built by GSC (Howaldtswerke HDW Nordseewerke GmbH NSWE and Ferrostaal AG shipyards) feature 65 meters long and 1,700 tons displacement. In addition, an atmospheric air-independent cell fuel-based propulsion system unveils class 209 PN as the most sophisticated U209 class submarine ever built.

HDW announced that the first U214 class submarine ordered by the Greek Navy, named Papanikolis, was launched at HDW shipyards in Kiel, Germany. The three remaining submarines including one as option will be built by Hellenic Shipyards in Greece.

Greece ordered 3+1 U214 submarines in 2000 and is refitting three U209 submarines with an atmospheric air-independent propulsion system. U214 submarines are scheduled to be delivered between 2005 and 2010.