Dutch MoD press release
A motion to leave the final decision to the new cabinet did not pass yet.
The replacement of the Walrus class submarines has been a topic of discussion since 2016. State Secretary Christophe van der Maat responded enthusiastically to the broad support for the award decision.
“The parliamentary process has now been completed. I look forward to the sequel with confidence.” stated Christophe van der Maat, Dutch State Secretary
Defense Ministry continues with the necessary preparations to schedule the signing of the supply contract with Naval Group.
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Naval News comments:
For the record, the Dutch government announced on 15 March it had “provisionally selected” French shipbuilder Naval Group to build its future submarines as part of the Walrus-class replacement program.
State Secretary Christophe van der Maat announced on X: “Very satisfied with the broad support from the House of Representatives for the cabinet’s submarine award decision. After many years, the parliamentary process has now been completed. I would like to thank everyone from the MoD who contributed to this. I look forward to the sequel with confidence.”
Naval Group, Saab and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems were in December 2019 shortlisted to compete to supply four boats to replace the Royal Netherlands Navy’s four ageing Walrus-class submarines. Naval Group was offering a conventional variant of its Barracuda design known as Blacksword; Saab’s business area Kockums, teamed with Damen, was proposing the C718: An enlarged expeditionary derivative of the A26 submarine being built for the Royal Swedish Navy; and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems has bid an evolved ‘Expeditionary’ variant of the Class 212CD design already ordered by Germany and Norway.
The names of the four new submarines of the future “Orka-class” will be:
- Orka
- Zwaardvis
- Barracuda
- Tijgerhaai
Naval News understands the next steps include a court hearing on June 26 with TKMS who filed a protest to contest the award decision. The court verdict is due in mid-July. According to Dutch news website Marineschepen, the current offer is valid until 28 July. This leaves little time but the contract is ready to be signed.
