The Ula class is a
NorwegianNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
submarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has only limited underwater capability...
type which was assembled in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The class, consisting of 6 vessels, is currently the only submarine type in service with the
Royal Norwegian NavyThe Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 3 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 6 corvettes, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection...
.
The ordering of a new Norwegian submersible design stemmed from a 1972 decision to modernize the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) submarine flotilla, which then consisted of the aging
Kobben classThe Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.- History :...
submarines.
The construction of the vessels was an international project.
The Ula class is a
NorwegianNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
submarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has only limited underwater capability...
type which was assembled in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The class, consisting of 6 vessels, is currently the only submarine type in service with the
Royal Norwegian NavyThe Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 3 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 6 corvettes, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection...
.
History
The ordering of a new Norwegian submersible design stemmed from a 1972 decision to modernize the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) submarine flotilla, which then consisted of the aging
Kobben classThe Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.- History :...
submarines.
The construction of the vessels was an international project. The combat systems were made in Norway by
KongsbergKongsberg Gruppen is Norway's major defence contractor and maritime automation supplier, located in and named after former mining town Kongsberg....
, the attack sonar is
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and the flank sonars
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
. The hull sections were produced in Norway, and then assembled in Germany by
Thyssen NordseewerkeNordseewerke is a shipbuilding company located in Emden, Germany. It is now a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. The name Nordseewerke means "North Sea shipyard" in German...
,
EmdenEmden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
. In Germany, the design is known as the U-Boot-Klasse 210
.
When commissioned Ulas were the first Norwegian submarines with bedding for the entire crew and a showerBathing is the immersion of the body in a fluid, usually water or an aqueous solution. It may be practiced for hygiene, religious or therapeutic purposes or as a recreational activity....
.
The Ula
class submarines are among the most silent and maneuverable submarines in the world. This, in combination with the relatively small size, makes them difficult to detect from surface vessels and ideal for operations in coastal areas. The Ula
class submarines are regarded as both the most effective and cost-effective weapons in the RNoN.
Missions
In recent years, several submarines of the Ula
class have been deployed in the Mediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it...
in support of the NATO Operation Active EndeavourOperation Active Endeavour is a naval operation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It operates in the Mediterranean Sea and is designed to prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction as well as to enhance the security of shipping in general...
, where their intelligence gathering ability have surpassed expectations. Their operational availability proved to be the highest of all the ships taking part in the operation. However, this deployment has highlighted the need to make the Ula
class submarines better able to keep temperatures from getting too high for the crew when operating in warm waters. As a response to this, the HNoMS Ula
have now been "tropicalized" by installing new cooling systemsHVAC is an acronym that stands for the closely related functions of "Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning"-the technology of indoor environmental comfort...
, and two more of the class are due for "tropicalization".
Future plans
During the period 2006-2008, the Ula class will be modernized. Most notably, the submarines will get new communication equipment (Link 11TADIL-A/Link 11 is a secure half-duplex TADIL radio link used by NATO that receives or transmits--but not both simultaneously--a sequential data exchange digital link. It exchanges digital information among airborne, land-based, and ship-board tactical data systems. It is the primary means to...
), new electronic warfare support measuresIn military telecommunications, the terms Electronic Support or Electronic Support Measures describe the division of electronic warfare involving actions taken under direct control of an operational commander to detect, intercept, identify, locate, record, and/or analyze sources of radiated...
and a periscope upgrade.
The Ula class is a
NorwegianNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
submarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has only limited underwater capability...
type which was assembled in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The class, consisting of 6 vessels, is currently the only submarine type in service with the
Royal Norwegian NavyThe Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 3 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 6 corvettes, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection...
.
History
The ordering of a new Norwegian submersible design stemmed from a 1972 decision to modernize the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) submarine flotilla, which then consisted of the aging
Kobben classThe Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.- History :...
submarines.
The construction of the vessels was an international project. The combat systems were made in Norway by
KongsbergKongsberg Gruppen is Norway's major defence contractor and maritime automation supplier, located in and named after former mining town Kongsberg....
, the attack sonar is
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and the flank sonars
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
. The hull sections were produced in Norway, and then assembled in Germany by
Thyssen NordseewerkeNordseewerke is a shipbuilding company located in Emden, Germany. It is now a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. The name Nordseewerke means "North Sea shipyard" in German...
,
EmdenEmden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
. In Germany, the design is known as the
U-Boot-Klasse 210.
When commissioned Ulas were the first Norwegian submarines with bedding for the entire crew and a
showerBathing is the immersion of the body in a fluid, usually water or an aqueous solution. It may be practiced for hygiene, religious or therapeutic purposes or as a recreational activity....
.
The
Ula class submarines are among the most silent and maneuverable submarines in the world. This, in combination with the relatively small size, makes them difficult to detect from surface vessels and ideal for operations in coastal areas. The
Ula class submarines are regarded as both the most effective and cost-effective weapons in the RNoN.
Missions
In recent years, several submarines of the
Ula class have been deployed in the
Mediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it...
in support of the NATO
Operation Active EndeavourOperation Active Endeavour is a naval operation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It operates in the Mediterranean Sea and is designed to prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction as well as to enhance the security of shipping in general...
, where their intelligence gathering ability have surpassed expectations. Their operational availability proved to be the highest of all the ships taking part in the operation. However, this deployment has highlighted the need to make the
Ula class submarines better able to keep temperatures from getting too high for the crew when operating in warm waters. As a response to this, the HNoMS
Ula have now been "tropicalized" by installing new
cooling systemsHVAC is an acronym that stands for the closely related functions of "Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning"-the technology of indoor environmental comfort...
, and two more of the class are due for "tropicalization".
Future plans
During the period 2006-2008, the Ula class will be modernized. Most notably, the submarines will get new communication equipment (
Link 11TADIL-A/Link 11 is a secure half-duplex TADIL radio link used by NATO that receives or transmits--but not both simultaneously--a sequential data exchange digital link. It exchanges digital information among airborne, land-based, and ship-board tactical data systems. It is the primary means to...
), new
electronic warfare support measuresIn military telecommunications, the terms Electronic Support or Electronic Support Measures describe the division of electronic warfare involving actions taken under direct control of an operational commander to detect, intercept, identify, locate, record, and/or analyze sources of radiated...
and a periscope upgrade.
The Ula class is a
NorwegianNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
submarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has only limited underwater capability...
type which was assembled in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The class, consisting of 6 vessels, is currently the only submarine type in service with the
Royal Norwegian NavyThe Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 3 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 6 corvettes, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection...
.
History
The ordering of a new Norwegian submersible design stemmed from a 1972 decision to modernize the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) submarine flotilla, which then consisted of the aging
Kobben classThe Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.- History :...
submarines.
The construction of the vessels was an international project. The combat systems were made in Norway by
KongsbergKongsberg Gruppen is Norway's major defence contractor and maritime automation supplier, located in and named after former mining town Kongsberg....
, the attack sonar is
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and the flank sonars
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
. The hull sections were produced in Norway, and then assembled in Germany by
Thyssen NordseewerkeNordseewerke is a shipbuilding company located in Emden, Germany. It is now a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. The name Nordseewerke means "North Sea shipyard" in German...
,
EmdenEmden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
. In Germany, the design is known as the U-Boot-Klasse 210
.
When commissioned Ulas were the first Norwegian submarines with bedding for the entire crew and a showerBathing is the immersion of the body in a fluid, usually water or an aqueous solution. It may be practiced for hygiene, religious or therapeutic purposes or as a recreational activity....
.
The Ula
class submarines are among the most silent and maneuverable submarines in the world. This, in combination with the relatively small size, makes them difficult to detect from surface vessels and ideal for operations in coastal areas. The Ula
class submarines are regarded as both the most effective and cost-effective weapons in the RNoN.
Missions
In recent years, several submarines of the Ula
class have been deployed in the Mediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it...
in support of the NATO Operation Active EndeavourOperation Active Endeavour is a naval operation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It operates in the Mediterranean Sea and is designed to prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction as well as to enhance the security of shipping in general...
, where their intelligence gathering ability have surpassed expectations. Their operational availability proved to be the highest of all the ships taking part in the operation. However, this deployment has highlighted the need to make the Ula
class submarines better able to keep temperatures from getting too high for the crew when operating in warm waters. As a response to this, the HNoMS Ula have now been "tropicalized" by installing new
cooling systemsHVAC is an acronym that stands for the closely related functions of "Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning"-the technology of indoor environmental comfort...
, and two more of the class are due for "tropicalization".
Future plans
During the period 2006-2008, the Ula class will be modernized. Most notably, the submarines will get new communication equipment (
Link 11TADIL-A/Link 11 is a secure half-duplex TADIL radio link used by NATO that receives or transmits--but not both simultaneously--a sequential data exchange digital link. It exchanges digital information among airborne, land-based, and ship-board tactical data systems. It is the primary means to...
), new
electronic warfare support measuresIn military telecommunications, the terms Electronic Support or Electronic Support Measures describe the division of electronic warfare involving actions taken under direct control of an operational commander to detect, intercept, identify, locate, record, and/or analyze sources of radiated...
and a periscope upgrade.
[ Videreutvikling av ULA-klasse u-båter, Forsvarsdepartementet] In May 2008, the contract for new sonars was signed. The first submarine will have new sonar in 21 months time, and the last in 52 months (
mil.no article). The Ula class will probably be kept in Norwegian service until 2020.
[ Ula-klassen, Forsvarsnett]
Vessels
Six submarines were delivered (1989-1992) to the RNoN. All of them have their home base at
HaakonsvernHaakonsvern is the main base of the Royal Norwegian Navy and the largest naval base in the Nordic area. The base is located at Mathopen within Bergen municipality, about 15 km south-west of the city centre...
in Bergen. The boats are all named after places in Norway, with the exception of the S305, Uredd
, which literally translates to "unafraid". The ship prefixA ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
for RNoN vessels is KNM (Kongelig Norsk Marine
, Royal Norwegian Navy) in Norwegian, HNoMS (His Norwegian Majesty's Ship) in English.
Vessel list
Ula class in order of delivery# |
Name |
Commissioned |
| S 300 |
HNoMS Ula |
1989 |
| S 301 |
HNoMS Utsira |
1992 |
| S 302 |
HNoMS Utstein |
1991 |
| S 303 |
HNoMS Utvær |
1990 |
| S 304 |
HNoMS Uthaug |
1991 |
| S 305 |
HNoMS Uredd |
1990 |
See also
Kobben
class submarineThe Kobben class or Type 207 is a version of the German Type 205 submarine customized for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy.- History :...
List of Royal Norwegian Navy ships
External links
Ula
class
Ula
model boat
Nordseewerke's page about the Ula class
Østlandets Blad, "Fire dager i dypet"
DagbladetDagbladet is Norway's third largest newspaper with a circulation of 146,512 copies in 2006, 15,557 papers less than in 2005 . The newspaper was founded in 1869, and its format was changed to tabloid in 1983. The word "Dagbladet" literally means "The day magazine". From 1884 to 1977 the newspaper...
articles about the class:
- "Oppdaterer ubåtene"
- "Her tar den norske ubåten smuglerskipene"
- "Hestehviskerne"