Walrus-class submarine
The Dutch submarine Zeeleeuw, at SAIL Amsterdam 2005.
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Walrus class |
| Builders: | Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij |
| Operators: |
 Royal Netherlands Navy
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| Preceded by: | Zwaardvis class |
| In commission: | 1992- |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Active: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | none |
| Type: | Attack submarine |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 67.73 m (222.2 ft) |
| Beam: | 8.4 m (28 ft) |
| Draft: | 6.6 m (22 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 3 diesels, diesel-electric, 5,430 shp (4 MW), 1 shaft, 5 blades |
| Speed: |
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| Range: | 18,500 km (10,000 nmi) at 9 kn (17 km/h) |
| Test depth: | >300 m (980 ft) |
| Complement: | 50 to 55 |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: | |
The Walrus-class submarine is the only submarine class currently in operation in the Royal Netherlands Navy. They have been in service since 1990 and are all named after sea mammals.
The Walrus-class submarines are unusual in that instead of a cross-shaped assembly of stern diving planes and rudders, they mount four combined rudders and diving planes in an "X" configuration. This tail configuration was first tested in 1960 on the United States Navy's USS Albacore, and has since been used by the Walrus class, all Swedish Navy submarines since the Sjöormen class, the Royal Australian Navy's Collins class, the German Type 212A and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Sōryū class.
After the Cold War, the subs have been tasked for many highly confidential intelligence gathering operations (still classified) in the Yugoslavian region, Iran, Iraq and the Caribbean often on request of Allies, including the United States.
In June 2010, the Netherlands agreed to deploy one submarine to help combat piracy in the waters off Somalia.
In November 2016, the Russian Navy claimed to have chased off a Walrus-class vessel from a battle group that included the Admiral Kuznetsov.
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Wikipedia