Dutch naval architecture firm Nevesbu has entered into an agreement with French defence shipbuilder the Naval Group for the design of complex subsystems for the new Orka-class diesel-electric submarines slated for the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Nevesbu is one of the partners within Team Orka, a growing network of Dutch companies from various sectors working under the leadership of the Naval Group on the construction of the new submarines.
Nevesbu has spent nearly 90 years contributing to the design of all Dutch submarines and various submarines for foreign navies. Mark Donderwinkel, Country Director Netherlands at the Naval Group, said that Nevesbu's years of experience in Dutch submarine development, "is of great value to the Orka programme."
The Naval Group will manufacture four Orka-class submarines, each of which will have a displacement of 3,300 tonnes, a length of 82 metres, a hull diameter of 8.2 metres, a range of 15,000 nautical miles, space for up to 43 crewmembers, and torpedo and cruise missile armament.
The Orka-class submarines will replace the Royal Netherlands Navy's ageing Walrus-class boats, which were originally designed in the late 1980s.