Type 214 (class)

Diesel-Electric Attack Submarine

Germany | 2007

"Some twenty-three total boats are planned for the German-originated Type 214 diesel-electric attack submarine series."

Image from the United States Navy; ROKS Son Won-il SS-072 pictured.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 01/16/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The export-minded Type 214 diesel-electric attack submarine is an evolution of the earlier Type 212 boat developed by German-based Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW). The new design sports a hydrogen fuel cell-based "Air-Independent Propulsion" (AIP) system, an improvement over traditional diesel-electric propulsion schemes. As it stands, the Type 214 series has been taken into service with the navies of Greece, Portugal, South Korea, Turkey. Twenty-three total boats in the series are planned with some fifteen completed to date (2020). Construction is being had through various shipyards including HDW in Germany, Hellenic Shipyards Company of Greece, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI)/DSME of South Korea, and Golcuk Naval Shipyard of Turkey.

The class features a surfaced displacement of 1,700 tons and a submerged displacement of 1,860 tons. Hulls have a length of 213.2 feet, a beam of 20.7 feet, and a draught of 19.7 feet. Aboard is a modest crew of 27 personnel while the boat has endurance to cover eighty-four days at-sea before requiring a resupply (up to three weeks submerged without snorkeling). Performance specs include a maximum submerged speed of 20 knots and a surfaced speed of 12 knots. Range is out to 12,000 miles when surfaced though this value is decidedly reduced when traveling submerged for any length of time. The hull is tested to depths of beyond 800 feet.

Power is through a diesel-electric arrangement involving 2 x MTU 16V-396 diesel engines with 2 x Piller Ntb56.40 charging generators, a single Siemens "Permasyn" electric motor, and 2 x HDW PEM BZM120 fuel cell module making up the AIP system.

Armament are 8 x 533mm torpedo tubes of which four are capable of launching the American "Harpoon" anti-ship missile.

Thales Deutschland Kiel supplies the SPHINX-D (4kW) pulse / tactical LPI radar fit.

Boats like the Type 214 series are powered by conventional means as opposed to expensive, dangerous nuclear propulsion schemes and are typically operated in defensive and scouting roles. They are capable of "deep water" work (as opposed to serving strictly in the coastline defense role) and can be called to operate independently or as part of the main fighting force. The weapons suite is typical of vessels of this type and size. The limited crew complement also indicates a boat of relatively compact form.

As of 2020, the Hellenic Navy is contracted for six total boats of which four have been delivered. South Korea has taken on a fleet of nine total boats (as the Sohn Wonyil-class), making it the largest operator of the series. The Portuguese Navy is the proud owner of two Type 214 boats and is followed by the Turkish Navy and its commitment of six boats.

For the South Korean Navy, the Type 214 forms a critical portion of a three-pronged submarine attack force that includes the Chang Bogo-class (based in the German Type 209) and newer Dosan Ahn Changho-class boats.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for Type 214 (class).

Diesel-electric configuration with fuel cells driving 1 x Shaft astern.
Propulsion

12.0 kts
13.8 mph
Surface Speed

20.0 kts
23.0 mph
Submerged Speed

10,428 nm
12,000 miles | 19,312 km
Range

Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of Type 214 (class).

27
Personnel
Complement

213.2 ft
64.98 meters
O/A Length

20.7 ft
6.31 meters
Beam

19.7 ft
6.00 meters
Draught

1,700
tons
Displacement

1,860
tons
Displacement (Submerged)

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of Type 214 (class).

8 x 533mm torpedo tubes (four tubes supporting launching of Harpoon anti-ship missile).

Ships-in-Class (15)
Notable series variants as part of the Type 214 (class) family line as relating to the Type 214 group.

GREECE: Papanikolis (S-120); Pipinos (S-121); Matrozos (S-122); Katsonis (S-123); Unnamed Boat #5; Unnamed Boat #6; SOUTH KOREA: ROKS Son Won-il (SS-072); ROKS Jeong Ji (SS-073); ROKS An Jung-geun (SS-075); ROKS Kim Jwa-jin (SS-076); ROKS Yun Bong-gil (SS-077); ROKS Yu Gran-sun (SS-078); ROKS Hong Beom-do (SS-079); ROKS Lee Beom-seok (SS-081); ROKS Shin-Dol-seok (SS-082); PORTUGAL: NRP Tridente (S-160); NRP Arpao (S-161); TURKEY: TCG Pirireis; TCG Murat Reis; TCG Seydi Ali Reis; TCG Aydin Reis; TCG Hizirreis; TCG Selman Reis

Operators
Global operator(s) of the Type 214 (class). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.

[ Greece; Portugal; South Korea; Turkey / Turkiye ]

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Image from the United States Navy; ROKS Son Won-il SS-072 pictured.

Similar
Developments of similar form-and-function, or related, to the Type 214 (class) Diesel-Electric Attack Submarine.

Reis-class

Going Further...
Type 214 (class) Diesel-Electric Attack Submarine appears in the following collections:

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