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Type 207 (class) / Kobben-class

1964 COLD WAR MODERN NAVY

History of Type 207 (class) / Kobben class

Koppen-class diesel-electric attack submarine developed by the Federal Republic of Germany for the export market. The design eventually found a home in the Royal Norwegian Navy, who used it as their main submarine for a while. 15 were eventually commissioned and built from 1963 to 1966.

They entered service in 1964, four of which were eventually sold to the Royal Danish Navy and four to the Polish Navy, which continued to operate at least two of these ships (as of January 2019). The remaining units were either scrapped or kept as museum ships.

The

Kobben class was forged from work used to produce the Type 201 submarine for the West German Navy, the first U-boat in Germany after World War II. Like the Type 201, the Coburn was designed for operation in shallower waters offshore, so it was smaller and had a modest crew compared to its deep-water contemporaries found in the West at the time.

Larger than the Type 205 in the Type 201, the Kobben class can be used to engage enemy merchant ships and deter enemy forces from Norwegian waters and surrounding water sources.

A general disadvantage of Type 201 ships is their non-magnetic hull, designed to protect them from mines. Breakage is an ongoing concern for these ships, leading to the Type 205 being hastily designed as a solution.

Nonetheless, the West German Navy U-3 prototype was loaned to the Royal Norwegian Navy between 1962 and 1964 and operated as "Cobain" - and was subsequently brought back to the U- which continued its service in West Germany 3 careers. Norway completed its evaluation of the new submarine and selected it for coastal patrols as few submarine designs at the time offered the same capabilities sought by the Royal Norwegian Navy. The Germans then built new submarines according to Norway's "Type 207" classification requirements, which for the Norwegians became the "Koben-class".

All collections are manufactured by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke GmbH in Emden.

The first ships to enter service were Kinn, Kya, Kobben and Kunna in April, June, August and October. The next batch arrived in 1965 (Kaura, Ula, Utsira, Utstein, Utvaer and Uthaug), followed by three more in 1966 (Skinna, Skolpen and Stadt) and the last two in 1967 (Stord and Svenner) .

When built, the class had a propulsion scheme consisting of 2 MTU 1,100hp diesel engines and 1 1,700hp electric motor driving a single shaft stern. It can reach speeds of 10 knots when surfaced and 17 knots when submerged. The range is 4,200 nautical miles. There was a crew of 24 on board, and the weapon was only 8 torpedoes, fired from 8 x 533 mm (21 in) tubes. The dimensions of the boat include a barrel length of 155 feet and a beam of 15 feet and a draft of up to 12 meters in feet.

Surface displacement reaches 500 tons (short), while underwater displacement reaches 535 tons.

A plan was developed in 1985 to modernize and lengthen 6 classes, the latter adding almost 2 meters to accommodate new equipment, including brand new sonars. This work continued until 1993 and extended the life of the batch for the foreseeable future.

Around the same time, at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Empire, four ships were sold to neighboring Denmark: one became a spare parts platform (Kaura), while Kya, Utvaer and Uthaug became HDMS Springeren, HDMS Tumeren and HDMS Tumeren .HDMS Saelen respectively.

An additional five ships in the Norwegian inventory were refurbished and sold to the Polish Navy, where they were registered as ORP Kondor, ORP Sep, ORP Sokol and ORP Bielik (ex Kuna, ex Skolpen, ex Stodd and ex Svenner) ). The other (Kobben) was taken over as a replacement unit.

Norway has finally adopted the Cobain line of the Ulla class, six of which have been procured and all six are still in service today (2019). The last Koppen-class ship in service in Norway was decommissioned in 2001, followed by the Royal Danish Navy in 2004.

Two Polish ships are in active service today (2019) and two Coppen-class ships are preserved as museum ships (Ulstein and HDMS Saelen). The rest are scrapped.