The HNoMs Utstein, now a museum ship |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Nordseewerke GmbH |
| Operators: | Royal Norwegian Navy Royal Danish Navy Polish Navy |
| Built: | 1963–1966 |
| In commission: | 1964–2001 (Royal Norwegian Navy) |
| Completed: | 15 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 435 t (428 long tons; 480 short tons) surfaced 485 t (477 long tons; 535 short tons) submerged |
| Length: | 47.2 m (155 ft) |
| Beam: | 4.7 m (15 ft) |
| Draft: | 3.8 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion: | Diesel-electric 2 MTU 1,100 hp (820 kW) diesel engines 1 1,700 hp (1,300 kW) electric motor |
| Speed: | 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced 17 kn (31 km/h) submerged |
| Range: | 4,200 nmi (7,800 km) at 8 kn (15 km/h) 228 nmi (422 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) |
| Test depth: | 180 m (590 ft) |
| Complement: | 24 |
| Armament: | 8 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes capable of carrying the following torpedo types: T1, Mk-37 Mod 1/2, Tp 61, Tp 612, Tp 613 |
The Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.
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Along with the rest of the Royal Norwegian Navy, the submarine fleet was to be modernized according to the Fleet plan of 1960. After the war, Norway needed a navy more suited for coastal operations rather than large, seagoing vessels. This made the choice of a new type of submarines rather slim, not many NATO submarines being suited for this type of operations. A German Type 201 submarine was lent to the RNoN for evaluation and adaptation. The result was the Type 207, of which 15 vessels were delivered to Norway in the period 1964 – 67. All Kobben class submarines were built by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke GmbH in Emden. During 1985 – 93, six boats were lengthened by 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and modernized, most notably with new sonar equipment.
During that period, four others were sold to the Royal Danish Navy (known there as the Tumleren class), three operational (modernized) and one for spare parts. HDMS Sælen (S323) served in the 2003 invasion of Iraq from May 2002 until June 2003.
In 2001, the Kobben class was completely phased out in Norwegian service, now replaced by the newer Ula class. Five modernized vessels were given to the Polish Navy, four as operational units and one for spare parts.[1] Before they were transferred, the Polish crews were trained and the boats were overhauled.
During 2004, all of the operational Danish boats (Tumleren, Sælen and Springeren) were decommissioned. They were mothballed as of 2005[update], waiting to be scrapped or handed over to another nation.
| Pennant | Name | Commissioned | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-315 | Kaura | 1965 | Transferred to Denmark in 1991 for spare parts |
| S-316 | Kinn | 8 April 1964 | Scuttled in the Bjørna fjord in 1990 |
| S-317 | Kya | 15 June 1964 | Transferred to Denmark in 1991 as the HDMS Springeren |
| S-318 | Kobben | 15 August 1964 | Transferred to Poland in 2002 for spare parts and as of December 17, 2011 moved to Maritime Academy in Gdynia (Akademia Marynarki Wojennej) for crew training.[2] |
| S-319 | Kunna | 29 October 1964 | Transferred to Poland in 2003 as the ORP Kondor |
| S-300 | Ula | 1965 | Name changed to Kinn (S-316) in 1987, scrapped in 1998 |
| S-301 | Utsira | 1965 | Scrapped in 1998 |
| S-302 | Utstein | 1965 | Transferred to the naval museum in Horten in 1998, now on land as a museum ship |
| S-303 | Utvær | 1965 | Transferred to Denmark in 1989 as the HDMS Tumleren (S322) |
| S-304 | Uthaug | 1965 | Transferred to Denmark in 1990 as the HDMS Sælen (S323) |
| S-305 | Sklinna | 1966 | Reconditioned in 1989, scrapped in 2001 |
| S-306 | Skolpen | 1966 | Transferred to Poland in 2002 as the ORP Sęp |
| S-307 | Stadt | 1966 | Scrapped in 1989 |
| S-308 | Stord | 1967 | Transferred to Poland in 2002 as the ORP Sokół |
| S-309 | Svenner | 1967 | Transferred to Poland in 2003 as the ORP Bielik |
Sites with information about the Kobben class.
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