Egypt Receives First Submarine from Germany

The first of four submarines for the Egyptian Navy has been launched in Germany by Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems, reports UPI

The ship, the S41, is the first-of-class 209/1400 vessel and took to water earlier this month during a ceremony in Kiel attended by Vice Adm. Rainer Brinkmann, Deputy Chief of Staff of the German navy, the mayor of Kiel, and Egyptian officials.

The submarines are being built in the northern coastal city of Kiel, which is famed for its ship-building and last week exported the fifth of six new ThyssenKrupp vessels bound for Israel. 

The first two of the four submarines are thought to have been ordered in 2011, though the deal only became public in August 2012 following statements by Egyptian Rear Admiral Osama Ahmed al-Jundi. 

A 10 December statement from ThyssenKrupp about the first vessel’s inauguration was the company’s first acknowledgement of the deal, though the press release gave no other details about the submarines or forthcoming delivery dates. 

The second order for two submarines was announced in February 2014. 

The diesel-electric Type 209 submarine is 211 feet long, has a submerged speed of 22.5 knots and a submerged range of 400 nautical miles at a speed of 4 knots.