Description

The four Walrus class submarines have been in service since 1990. The design assumed a 25-year service life with a mid-life modernisation programme. To extend the service life to at least 2025, a number of modifications to the submarines are required in terms of safety and maintaining current capabilities: the Walrus Class Submarines Conservation Programme. The programme involves conservation work, the replacement of a number of obsolete primary sensors (sonar functionalities and navigation periscope), a replacement of the Combat Management System (CMS) and modifications to a number of platform systems.

Coherence with Defence Policy:
One of the main lines of policy is increasing the expeditionary capability and deployability of the armed forces. In the maritime context, this involves supporting and influencing land operations from the sea and operating in and near maritime hubs and transport routes, as well as in waters near land-based operation sites. Dutch units increasingly operate in coastal waters. Here, the Walrus class submarines are mostly deployed in an independent role for the purpose of intelligence gathering and protecting the surface fleet from underwater threats, among others. With the disposal of the Orion patrol aircraft and the reduction in the number of M-frigates, the importance of Walrus-class submarines for anti-submarine warfare has further increased. The project contributes to the following operational capabilities of military capability: validated intelligence, deployability and mobility, effective (weapons) deployment, security and self-protection

At this theme evening, the Defence Materiel Organisation, TNO Defence and Security and naval engineering firm NEVESBU will outline the current status of the project. The project manager will give an overview of the elements of product, time and money. Then, the redesign of the Command Centre, the introduction of an optronic mast and the Safety Adaptations Sonar (VAS) will be discussed. This subproject will replace two Sonar functions (the Intercept function and Frequency Analysis) and add a new functionality (Mine and Obstacle Avoidance).

Location

KIVI NIRIA

Prinsessegracht 23, The Hague

Organiser

Defence and Security

Name and contact details for information

KTZE bd Jan Wind, secretary Defence and Security Tel. 071-7113973 or 06-23502003 Email for further information:

dv@kiviniria.nl