majalah militer

16:34 GMT, January 7, 2009, Hamburg/Kiel -- A contract for the delivery of six material packages to build Class 214 submarines for Korea was signed in December 2008 by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW), a company of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems AG, and MarineForce International LLP (MFI). The contract was made between the HDW/MFI consortium and the South Korean procurement authority DAPA (Defense Acquisition Program Administration). This will provide Korea with a 2nd batch of boats in this successful class of submarines.

After studying the tenders produced by national Korean shipyards, DAPA selected Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to build the first boat of the 2nd batch. Submission of tenders for the second boat is due to take place in summer 2009.

All six boats will be equipped with an air independent propulsion system on the basis of fuel cells. The 2nd batch of Class 214 for the Korean Navy is a further development of the already proven overall design for the first three boats. The new submarines will be almost identical to the 1st batch boats, which were ordered in 2000 and all three of which were built/are being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries. The first two boats of this class were delivered to the Korean Navy in December 2007 and 2008. @Defro