Italy's fourth NFS U212 submarine: A 530M dollar naval upgrade

The Italian government has ordered the fourth NFS U212 submarine for the Marina Militare, according to a statement by OCCAR (Organisation conjointe de coopération en matière d'armement), an organization that coordinates the acquisition of arms by European countries that are signatories.

The contract was signed just before the steel cutting at Fincantieri’s Muggiano shipyard for the third NFS U212 submarine, which is scheduled to be delivered by 2032. The signed annex, estimated at 500 million euros (approximately 530 million dollars), also includes an upgrade to the battery package, which will be switched from lead-acid to lithium-ion technology. It will be the first submarine of this standard to enter service.

The U212 submarines are a joint project between Germany and Italy, whose construction began in the 1990s under the ARGE 212 consortium. These units are equipped with an air-independent propulsion system based on batteries; instead of diesel engines, they use fuel cells employing hydrogen and liquid oxygen stored in tanks as energy sources.

Thanks to this, U212 family submarines can stay underwater uninterrupted for three weeks, which is impossible for older units. Additionally, fuel cells are significantly quieter than diesel engines, making U212 much harder to detect.

These units are 194 feet long for the NFS variant and have a displacement of about 1,650 tons, with a crew consisting of 29 officers and sailors. Armament includes six 21-inch torpedo tubes, allowing not only torpedoes but also Teseo EVO cruise missiles or IDAS anti-aircraft missiles, which are naval variants of the IRIS-T SLM.

Moreover, the Italians have equipped the NFS version with an advanced electronic warfare system and the ability to cooperate with special units. It is also worth noting that NFS U212 submarines are one of the proposals in the Polish Orka program, mentioned by Wirtualna Polska journalist Łukasz Michalik.