}
HNLMS ''Walrus'' (S802) was a of the
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...
. After a long delay following a serious fire during construction, the submarine entered service in 1992. ''Walrus'' was deployed both for
naval exercises
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It include ...
and in combat operations around the world. She was decommissioned in October 2023.
Ship history
''Walrus'' was
laid down
Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship.
Keel laying is one o ...
on 11 October 1979 at the
Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij
The Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM) was the largest pre-World War II shipbuilding and repair company in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, existing from 1902 to 1996. It built 355 mostly major seagoing vessels, 18 of which were submarines. R ...
("Rotterdam Dry Dock Company") yard in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
. She was
launched on 28 October 1985, but on 14 August 1986 an electrical fire broke out on board causing damage costing
ƒ225 million(€100 million) to repair. Her completion was delayed until 13 September 1989.
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a " shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and ...
s were carried out in 1990 and 1991, and the submarine was
commissioned on 25 March 1992.
As part of the Netherlands contribution to
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
, ''Walrus'' took part in various joint
exercises
Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.
It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic s ...
, including Submarine Rescue Exercise "Sorbet Royal 96" and "Northern Light 99". During the multi-national "Joint Task Force Exercise/Theatre Missile Defence Initiative 1999" (JTFEX/TMDI99) ''Walrus'' successfully penetrated the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
screen and "sank" several ships, including the
aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
before escaping.
[de Bles, Boven and Homburg, pp. 104]
In 2000 she participated in a British
Flag Officer Sea Training exercise, and in "Linked Seas 2000", a naval control of shipping exercise in the North Atlantic. In September 2000 all four ''Walrus''-class boats were withdrawn from service after micro-fractures and corrosion was detected in the
diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...
exhaust valves. After replacement valves were fitted ''Walrus'' returned to active service in early 2001. From September to December 2002 ''Walrus'' took part in "
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
", acting as an
COMINT
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...
intelligence gathering post in the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
and the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
.
In 2007 she took part in exercises in the
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
with special forces of the
Netherlands Marine Corps
The Netherlands Marine Corps ( nl, Korps Mariniers) is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The marines trace their origins back to the establishment of the on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dut ...
.
In 2008 it was announced the Netherlands will spend up to 100 million
euro
The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...
s ($155 million) on a programme to upgrade all four ''Walrus''-class submarines. These improvements will keep them operational until at least 2025.
On 13 May 2013 Dutch
''Ministerie van Defensie'' signed a contract worth EUR94 million (USD120.3 million) with
Imtech
Royal Imtech N.V. was a European technical services provider in the fields of electrical solutions, ICT (information and communication technology) and mechanical solutions. Its residence was in Gouda, Netherlands. Imtech shares were listed on th ...
Marine Netherlands to begin the life-extension programme for the four ''Walrus''-class boats. ''Walrus'' was to be the last of the class to undergo refit and upgrade and was scheduled to return to operational service in 2019.
In October 2023 ''Walrus'' was withdrawn from service, and is to be used for parts.
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hamp ...
File:Hr. Ms. Walrus (1992) in Curacao 2.jpg, HMNLS ''Walrus'' at Curaçao
Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...
File:US Navy 081015-N-8467N-009 The Dutch submarine HNLMS Walrus (S802) sits moored to the pier at Submarine Base New London.jpg, HNLMS ''Walrus'' (S802) moored at Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the primary United States Navy East Coast submarine base, also known as the "Home of the Submarine Force." It is located in Groton, Connecticut directly across the Thames River from its namesake city of New Lon ...
.
References
Sources
*
External links
Homepage of Hr. Ms. Walrus (in Dutch)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walrus (S802)
Walrus-class submarines
Ships built in Rotterdam
1985 ships
1989 ships
Submarines of the Netherlands