I would like to share some photos I took a few days ago of one of the new Portuguese Type 209MOD subs, at the ThyssenKrupp Marine/HDW place in Marvika, Kristiansand, Norway. Its where ThyssenKrupp Marine/HDW conducts deep sea testing of their new subs.

Sorry for the crappy quality. A mobile phone was all that I brought. Better crappy than nothing, I suppose...

Thank you so much for the photos, Zakk. Crappy or not...

Warm regards from this Sunny South West Corner of Europe...

Thanks for the pix! When will these be in service in Portugal? How many are they getting?

In 2009-10 according to the HDW-guys. They will get two of them, IIRC.

Thanks Zakk, great pics. But to call them U-209 is a bit of a stretch... HDW had to do that for the sub competition About damn time they arrive, too

The Tridente (S-167) and Arpão (S-168) will be replacing the single Daphne-class sub still sailing.

Does it have a caterpillar drive?


Sorry...


Shot

Not bad quality at all for a camera phone!

Is this Daphne-class sub that these 209's are replacing the last one in service out there? Any idea what's going to happen to it - scrapper or enough funding for preservation?

I'm quite surprised there wasn't at least some security around the sub itself.

Nice pictures

I think that the Albacora (the aforementioned Daphne-class sub) is the last one, unless Pakistan still has some of theirs in active duty. My guess is it will probably be scrapped

Shot, they won't have a caterpillar drive, and they don't need it. The Portuguese Navy's secret weapon is different: a 200-liter tank full of wine!

The pakistani Daphne class PNS Hangor was decommisioned in 2006 and turned into a museum. It won fame as it sank the indian frigate INS Khukri in the 1971 war.

Oh, and the french Flore is a museum in Lorient.

Stupid question, but isn't the U209 an older series/model? I thought the current offering was the U212?

Still, nice to see Portugal maintain the capability.

The U209PN is a U209 in name only. The original competition was between the real U209 and IIRC the Scorpene, and the French sub was picked. But something happened (government change, I think) that caused the competition to be restarted, with the same candidates. Again, IIRC, the French ran a Scorpene with bits of the S-80 (memory's foggy regarding this) and HDW ran the U209PN, which is a U214 by other name. The original competition was for 3 subs, the new one was for 2 only.

It is good to see Portugal keep a submarine force, its a capacity we have had for almost 100 years (1913-20??).

The 212 is used by Germany and Italy, the current "export" model is the 214, chosen by South Korea, Greece and Turkey.

The U-209PN is the "missing link" between the 209 and the 214, basically a 209 hull with a 214 casing. Late 209s (the 209SAN for South Africa being the last of the line) share lots of components with the 212/214, like the combat system.

A couple of additional photos from 3 days ago. This time with a proper camera, and some interesting bits on the sub...

Zakk, thanks for the pics.

I believe this sub visit my hometown Bergen about a week ago or so, atleast it was identical with the distinct shape of the coning tower and the bowfins being clear giveaways.

Great pix, Zakk. Thanks!