On 16th June 2026, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence represented by Vice Admiral Jan Willem Hartman from COMMIT and Naval Group signed the contract for the supply of new-generation F21 heavyweight torpedoes to equip the Orka-class submarines. With this contract, the Royal Netherlands Navy will become the first NATO SSK fleet to operate the F21.
Naval Group press release
“We are honoured for the selection of the F21 torpedo as one of the weapons of reference for the Orka-class submarines. With this contract, we further deepen our strategic partnership and we look forward to the next phases of our cooperation” – Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group.
“The signing of this contract for the F21 torpedo marks an important step in our strategic partnership. The weapon system will be integrated into the future Orka-class submarines, enhancing the capabilities of the Royal Netherlands Navy. We look forward to the next phases in our cooperation.” – Vice Admiral Jan Willem Hartman, Commander of COMMIT.
F21 : A torpedo granting tactical superiority
The F21 was qualified in 2019 and is currently operated on French navy’s SSNs and SSBNs as well as the Brazilian Navy’s SSKs. While the F21 is the natural reference of Naval Group’s submarine offering, its integration can also be offered on other submarines, particularly for modernisation projects. Naval Group also supports navies to autonomously operate and maintain their torpedoes, providing adequate crew training, simulators and feedback from live-fire exercises.
Naval Group’s commitment to engage the Netherlands industries and knowledge centers on this new phase of the ORKA project will be reflected in the amendment of the existing Industrial Cooperation Agreeement.
