Tridente-class submarine
The Tridente-class submarines, also designated as U 209PN, are diesel-electric submarines based on the Type 214 submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) for the Portuguese Navy.
Tridente-class profile | |
NRP Tridente at the Lisbon Naval Base | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | HDW |
| Operators | Portuguese Navy |
| Preceded by | Albacora class |
| Planned | 3 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Cancelled | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Attack submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 67.7 m (222 ft 1 in) |
| Beam | 6.35 m (20 ft 10 in) |
| Draught | 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in) |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric, fuel cell AIP, low noise skew back propeller |
| Speed |
|
| Range | 12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) |
| Endurance | 45 days |
| Test depth | superior to 300 m (984 ft) |
| Capacity | 14 |
| Complement |
|
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
This class of submarines was acquired by Portugal to replace the previous submarines of the Albacora class, then being operated by the navy. Originally, HDW proposed the Type 209 submarine (U-209) during the competition, but decided to later enter a new proposal based on the Type 214. It is for this reason that the Tridente class is commonly designated as the U 209PN.
The class and its ships are the first to not be named after marine animals, thus breaking a tradition retracing back to 1913, when the first submarine entered service with the Portuguese Navy.