Norway has awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a 436-million Norwegian kronor ($41.3 million) contract to upgrade its Ula-class submarines.
The contract covers the modernization of hardware and software to improve the systems’ combat capacity.
“Kongsberg is pleased to be part of the update program ensuring the Ula-class operational capability until the next generation of submarines arrives,” announced company President Eirik Lie in a press release.
After enhancing the Ula-class’ current features, Kongsberg will also provide Norway and Germany with 212CD submarines, expected to be introduced by the 2030s.
While both submarine types are an advancement in diesel-electric submarine technology, 212CD will allow extended coastal and deep-water operational efficiency.
The 212CD submarine will be larger, measuring 73 meters (240 feet), compared to the 56 meters (184 feet) of the previous version.
Lastly, the vessel will be able to stay underwater longer with controlled acoustic emissions for greater stealth.