HDMS Sælen (S323)

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HDMS Sælen (S323)
Tumleren-class
Ordered Laid down May 31, 1965 Launched October 3, 1965 Commissioned October 10, 1990 (Danish navy) Decommissioned Fate Museum at Holmen, Copenhagen
General Characteristics Displacement 370 tons surfaced, 435 tons submerged Length 47.20 meters Beam 4.70 meters Draught 3.80 meters Propulsion two MTU 1100 hp diesel engines, one 1700 hp electric motor Speed 10 knots surfaced, 17 knots submerged Range Complement 24 officers and men Armament eight 533 mm (21-inch) torpedo tubes, eight torpedoes Armour Motto

HDMS Sælen (S323) (or KDM Sælen ) is one of the three Tumleren-class small coastal submarines of the Kongelige Danske Marine (Royal Danish Navy).

She was built as a Type 207 submarine by Rheinstahl-Nordseewerke of Emden, Germany in 1965 for the Royal Norwegian Navy and served for 25 years as KNM Uthaug before being purchased by Denmark in 1990, and renamed after the seal. Her international call sign is OUCJ.

On 4 December 1990, Sælen sank while being towed from Copenhagen to Aarhus. On 17 December, she was raised by the German floating crane Roland and taken to Aarhus for repair. On 10 August 1993, diving approval was issued and the boat was recommissioned.

Sælen served in the 2003 invasion of Iraq from May 2002 until June 2003. To speed her return to her homeport of Frederikshavn after 385 days of deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf, she was transported on board the heavy-lift ship Grietje.

After her return from the Persian Gulf, Sælen was decommissioned and handed over to The Royal Danish Naval Museum (Orlogsmuseet). Sælen is now placed the old navy headquarters at Holmen in the middle of Copenhagen where she is open to visitors.