ThyssenKrupp, SIMONS TOWN: In a dockside ceremony on April 26th, 2007, the second new class 209/1400 mod diesel electric submarine built for the South African Navy by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems was welcomed to her home port of Simons Town following a very successful maiden voyage from Germany.
At the same time, the third of the three new submarines ordered by South Africa put to sea for exhaustive trials prior to being delivered to the South African Navy.
Named the SAS Charlotte Maxeke at Nordseewerke Emden on March 14th, 2007, South Africa’s second boat set course for home two days later staffed by an entirely South African crew.
The three submarines ordered for the South African Navy are the most up-to-date version of the Class 209 boats, 63 of which have been being exported so far. This class represents the most successful diesel-electric submarine in the world.
The South African boats include a number of technologies and equipment sets sourced from local manufacturers, including the opto-electronic periscopes, many of the electronic surveillance sensors, and the main electrical switchboards.
Like her sisters, the SAS Manthatisi and the SAS Queen Modjadji, the SAS Charlotte Maxeke has a displacement of 1450 tonnes, is 62 metres long, is operated by a core crew of 30, and has a diesel-electric propulsion system. She is equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology, and an integrated weapons deployment and command system which ideally fits it for its future reconnaissance and surveillance tasks.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems AG, with its head office in Hamburg, Germany, is part of ThyssenKrupp Technologies AG within the ThyssenKrupp Group. Since 2005 it has been the umbrella organisation for eight European shipyards – Blohm + Voss, Blohm + Voss Repair, HDW-Gaarden, Hellenic Shipyards, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kockums, Nobiskrug, Nordseewerke – and various marine engineering companies. With its technological competence, extensive portfolio and continuous innovations the corporate group, employing around 8,800 staff, is one of the leading systems houses in European shipbuilding.
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