Kobben class submarine
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| Career |    |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 1963 |
| Launched: | 1964 |
| Commissioned: | 1964 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Length | 47.2m |
| Beam | 4.7m |
| Draft | 3.8m |
| Displacement | 435t surfaced 485t submerged |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric 2×MTU 1100hp diesel engines 1× 1700hp electric motor |
| Complement | 24 officers and men |
| Armament: | 8 533mm torpedo tubes capable of carrying the following torpedo types: T-1, MK 37 Mod I/II, TP 61, TP 612, TP 613 |
| Speed | 10 knots surfaced 17 knots submerged |
| Maximum Depth | 180m in peacetime |
| Range | 141nm at 6 knots 14nm at 17 knots |
The Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.
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[edit] History
Along with the rest of the Royal Norwegian Navy, the submarine fleet was to be modernized according to the Fleet plan of 1960. After the war, Norway needed a navy more suited for coastal operations rather than large, seagoing vessels. This made the choice of a new type of submarines rather slim, not many NATO submarines were suited for this type of operations. A German Type 205 submarine was lent to the RNoN for evaluation and adaptation. The result was the Type 207, of which 15 vessels were delivered to Norway in the period 1964 - 67. All Kobben class submarines were built by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke GmbH in Emden. During 1985 - 93, six boats were lengthened and modernized. During that period, four of them were sold to the Royal Danish Navy (known there as the Tumleren class), three operational and one for spare parts.
In 2001, the Kobben class was completely phased out in Norwegian service, now replaced by the newer Ula class. Five vessels were given to the Polish Navy, four as operational units and one for spare parts.[1] Before they were transferred, the Polish crews were trained and the boats were overhauled.
During 2004, all of the operational Danish boats (Tumleren, Sælen and Springeren) were decommissioned. They were mothballed as of 2005, waiting to be scrapped or handed over to another nation.
[edit] Vessels
| # | Name | Commissioned | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-315 | HNoMS Kaura | 1965 | Transferred to Denmark in 1991 for spare parts |
| S-316 | HNoMS Kinn | April 8, 1964 | Sunk in the Bjørna fjord in 1990 (deliberately) |
| S-317 | HNoMS Kya | June 15, 1964 | Transferred to Denmark in 1991 as the HDMS Springeren |
| S-318 | HNoMS Kobben | August 15, 1964 | Transferred to Poland in 2001 for spare parts |
| S-319 | HNoMS Kunna | October 29, 1964 | Transferred to Poland in 2004 as the ORP Kondor |
| S-300 | HNoMS Ula | 1965 | Name changed to Kinn in 1988, scrapped in 1998 |
| S-301 | HNoMS Utsira | 1965 | Scrapped in 1998 |
| S-302 | HNoMS Utstein | 1965 | Transferred to the naval museum in Horten in 1998, now on land as a museum ship |
| S-303 | HNoMS Utvær | 1965 | Transferred to Denmark in 1989 as the HDMS Tumleren (S322) |
| S-304 | HNoMS Uthaug | 1965 | Transferred to Denmark in 1990 as the HDMS Sælen (S323) |
| S-305 | HNoMS Sklinna' | 1966 | Reconditioned in 1989, scrapped in 2001 |
| S-306 | HNoMS Skolpen | 1966 | Transferred to Poland in 2002 as the ORP Sep |
| S-307 | HNoMS Stadt | 1966 | Scrapped in 1989 |
| S-308 | HNoMS Stord | 1967 | Transferred to Poland in 2002 as the ORP Sokół |
| S-309 | HNoMS Svenner | 1967 | Transferred to Poland in 2003 as the ORP Bielik |
[edit] External links
Sites with information about the Kobben class.
- Nordseewerke - manufacturer's website
- Polish Navy - with Polish commission dates, pictures and information
- Danish Naval History - information about Danish use (1989-2004)
