Norway has decided to activate an option for two more Type 212CD submarines from German shipbuilder thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, expanding its future underwater fleet from four to six vessels. The move significantly increases the total program cost to nearly 100 billion kroner and follows a parallel 19-billion-kroner investment in long-range strike missiles, underscoring Oslo’s determination to reinforce NATO’s posture in the Arctic and North Atlantic as Russia steps up submarine activity.
The announcement, made in Oslo after parliamentary approval, deepens the ongoing Norwegian-German submarine program that combines procurement and industrial cooperation. The joint plan now includes six Norwegian and six German submarines, providing unprecedented interoperability across the two navies. Norwegian officials directly link the expansion to intensified Russian naval deployments from the Kola Peninsula into the Barents Sea and North Atlantic, highlighting the strategic importance of the High North in current defense planning.
The original 2021 agreement covered six Type 212CD submarines, of which four were destined for Norway on a budget of around 46 billion kroner intended to replace the aging Ula class. Higher equipment prices, currency shifts and the decision to exercise the option on two additional boats have now nearly doubled the program cost. According to current schedules, the first Norwegian submarine will be delivered in 2029, with subsequent units arriving through the mid-2030s to ensure a phased transition without capability gaps across the fleet.
