Netherlands joins Orka-class submarine development to secure Arctic and North Sea presence.

According to information published by the Dutch company Royal IHC on June 16, 2025, Royal IHC and Naval Group have signed a strategic contract to co-develop the new Orka-class diesel-electric submarines for the Royal Netherlands Navy. Under this agreement, Royal IHC will design and manufacture critical steel modules and structures for all four planned submarines, marking the largest Dutch industrial participation in a naval program in recent decades. France's Naval Group will retain its role as the main contractor, responsible for final assembly and integration of the vessels, which are scheduled to replace the ageing Walrus-class fleet by the early 2030s.
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The Orka is a new class of diesel‑electric attack submarines being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy to replace the Walrus‑class, with commissioning expected in the mid‑2030s. (Picture source: Naval Group)

Construction of these modules is slated to commence in the second half of 2026 at newly established secure production facilities in the Netherlands. The initiative is projected to create several hundred jobs, both directly and across the wider Dutch defense industrial base. This Franco-Dutch partnership builds on a collaborative framework established in 2018 and is fully aligned with the €5.6 billion Orka submarine program launched in September 2024, which aims to deliver the lead vessels, Orka and Zwaardvis, by 2035.

This strategic contract underscores the Netherlands’ intent to maintain sovereign maritime defense capabilities while reinforcing its industrial base. Royal IHC’s central role supports the preservation of domestic shipbuilding expertise and fulfills the 2024 Industrial Cooperation Agreement, which mandates high national content in key defense procurements. The Orka-class submarines, derived from the Barracuda family, are equipped with lithium-ion batteries and a Thales sonar suite that significantly enhances submerged endurance, stealth, and versatility for multimission operations across both coastal and deepwater theaters.

Technically, each Orka-class boat will displace approximately 3,300 tonnes when submerged, measure 82 m in length with an 8.2 m beam, and carry 35–43 personnel. They will be powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system comprising MTU diesel generators driving an electric motor through a single shaft and propeller, supplemented by Saft lithium-ion battery arrays. These batteries significantly increase underwater endurance and energy reserves over conventional lead-acid cells. The boats are expected to achieve an unrefueled surface/submerged range of up to 15,000 nautical miles, and are rated for diving depths in excess of 300 m, further aided by anechoic hull coatings to reduce acoustic signature.

Armament will include six 533 mm torpedo tubes capable of deploying heavyweight torpedoes and cruise missiles through the Tomahawk-capable weapon-handling system, alongside a mixed magazine of around 18 payloads. This marks a substantial upgrade over the Walrus class’s four-tube, torpedo-only configuration. The combat system will integrate NATO-compatible tactical systems, likely drawing on both French and U.S. technologies.

The sensor suite has been derived directly from the French Suffren-class nuclear submarines, with Thales providing an advanced hull-mounted bow sonar, flank arrays, obstacle avoidance sonar, an intercept array, and a passive towed array based on modern fiber-optic architecture. A sophisticated underwater communications system and signal-processing infrastructure will enhance real-time situational awareness and intelligence handling, delivering markedly superior acoustic performance over the Walrus’s legacy systems.

In comparison, the Walrus-class submarines (67.7 m length, 8.4 m beam, ~1,800 t submerged) employed older conventional diesel engines with lead–acid batteries, had a four-tube torpedo layout, and retained a crew of 50–55. Their dive depth and sonar capabilities, once strong during the Cold War, are now considered outdated due to advances in propulsion, stealth, and sensor integration.

Within the broader strategic context, the Orka program reflects a deliberate shift toward European defense autonomy. By partnering with Naval Group rather than non-European suppliers, the Netherlands reinforces continental defense industrial sovereignty. With global maritime competition intensifying, from Arctic navigation to Indo-Pacific sea lanes, submarine platforms like the Orka-class are critical for intelligence gathering, silent deterrence, and power projection. This capability ensures that the Royal Netherlands Navy can sustain undersea operations across contested domains and independently secure Europe’s maritime interests.