A joint program between Germany and Norway will produce two new submarines, boosting the Norwegian submarine fleet to six, their governments announced in December 2025. The additional submarines will improve Norway’s domain awareness in the Arctic, Norwegian defense officials said. “We are a coastal and maritime nation, and submarines are a crucial part of our defence,” said Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik, according to the Barents Observer, a Norwegian newspaper.
In 2021, Germany and Norway signed an agreement to build four submarines for the Royal Norwegian Navy. The newly ordered submarines — an enhanced U212-submarine class with a stealth design — are designed for covert shallow-water operations. “Submarines are an important strategic asset in Norwegian waters, helping to deter potential adversaries and strengthen the defence of Norwegian interests in turbulent times,” Sandvik told the newspaper.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, a German company, is building the submarines. The NATO allies are jointly developing their weapon systems, featuring the Future Naval Strike Missile, according to the newspaper. The U212-class submarines have been part of the German fleet since 2004.
Norway has been beefing up its armed forces since 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia’s increasing activity in the Arctic and a string of sabotage incidents in NATO’s northern flank tied to Moscow have demonstrated the need for increased deterrence. “We are seeing increased activity from Russian forces in the North Atlantic and the Barents Sea,” said Norwegian Chief of Defence Eirik Kristoffersen. “Norway is NATO’s eyes and ears in the north. … This places greater demands on our ability to demonstrate our presence, monitor and deter in our neighboring areas. In this context, submarines are indispensable,” Kristoffersen said.
The government has asked the Norwegian Parliament for $4.5 billion to fund the purchases. The first two submarines are scheduled to be delivered to the Royal Norwegian Navy in 2029. The remaining four will follow as they are finished with the final vessel arriving in 2038, according to DefenseNews, a military affairs news site.
The new submarines will replace the Ula-class submarines, both of which are over 30 years old. The U212s have longer ranges, more interoperability with NATO allies and will act as a deterrent to Russian forces, including its Northern Fleet and significant aerial assets, on the nearby Kola Peninsula. “It will have a strong deterrent effect on a potential adversary,” Sandvik told the Barents Observer.