TKMS formally hands over first 2 Type 209 submarines to Egypt

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has formally handed over the first two of four Type 209/1400 mod diesel-electric submarines (SSK) to the Egyptian Navy.

TKMS’ CEO Dr. Peter Feldhaus commemorated the event (via Defense Aerospace):

“We are proud to have reached this significant milestone in the construction program for the Egyptian Navy. This success was possible only thanks to constant further development of our products, an open and trusting dialogue with our customer as well as our highly motivated and skilled employees.”

Leading Egyptian Navy officials, among them the Commander in Chief of the Navy Vice Admiral Osama Mounir Rabei, were present at the hand over ceremony.

German officials were also present, including Markus Grübel (Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defense) and Vice Admiral Rainer Brinkmann (Deputy Chief of Staff of the German Navy), among others.

Notes & Comments:

Egypt was to believed to have ordered the submarines in 2012, when the Egyptian Naval Chief at the time, Admiral Osama Ahmed el-Gundi, made note of the acquisition as part of Cairo’s plan to comprehensively upgrade its naval forces. The first Egyptian Type 209/1400 was launched for sea-trials in December 2015.

The Type 209/1400 is equipped with eight 533 mm torpedo tubes, which, in turn, can deploy heavyweight anti-submarine warfare (ASW) torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM).

It is not known if Egypt has opted for air-independent propulsion (AIP) or if it will procure AIP in the future. Assuming these submarines are without AIP, then one can expect Egypt to utilize its new submarines for primarily anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) operations in or near its littoral waters.