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Germany Does Not Have One Working Submarine
Germany Does Not Have One Working Submarine
On October 15, the submarine U-35 was performing a diving maneuver off the Norwegian coast when one of the four fins on its X-shaped rudder struck a rock. The damage was severe enough it needed to be escorted back to Kiel by the testing ship Helmsand. The fifty-six-meter-long submarine would have to miss an international exercise in the Skagerrak Strait, scheduled for December.
Underwater collisions are a hazard of submarine operations. Both U.S. and Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines have run aground in recent years. Repairs are often expensive and time-consuming. But spokesman Capt. Johannes Dumrese told a German publication in October that U-35’s accident had an extraordinary consequence.
On paper, the Deutsche Marine has six Type 212A submarines equipped with advanced air-independent propulsion, allowing ultraquiet operations submerged for over two weeks at a time.
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In reality, the Deutsche Marine does not currently have a single submarine in operational condition.
Missing Spare Parts
German mariners pioneered submarine warfare in the twentieth century when hundreds of U-Boats ravaged Allied shipping across the Atlantic in the two world wars. However, today’s smaller U-Boat fleet is intended primarily for defense of the cold, shallow waters of the Baltic Sea. The Type 212A submarines employ hydrogen fuel cells that allow them to swim submerged for over two weeks before resurfacing, compared to a few days at most for diesel submarines. In theory, this makes the German submarines ideal for stealthy, short-range sea control and intelligence-gathering missions, while costing less than a quarter of the price of a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine.
However, U-31, the first submarine of the class, had been out of service since 2014. Although repairs should be completed in December 2017, it will take months of trials before it is ready for deployment.
U-32 had suffered damage to its batteries while on route to Norway in July 2017; so far, no berth is free to even begin repairs. Ahead in line for the next available spot in January 2018 is U-34, also in need of maintenance, with no estimated time of completion available.
U-33, meanwhile, is undergoing maintenance through February 2018; then it will require three to four more months of trials. U-36, the sister ship of U-35, was commissioned on October 10, 2017, but will not become operational until May 2018.
The culprit for the lengthy delays? Since the end of the Cold War, the Deutsche Marine ceased maintaining a comprehensive supply of spare parts as a cost-cutting measure, instead procuring parts on demand or looting them from nonoperational boats. This has resulted in enormous delays and accumulated backlog.
Bundestag defense commissioner Hans-Peter Bartels was quoted by NDR as saying, “This is a disaster for the Navy. U-Boats are one of our top capabilities, and I believe it is the first time in their history that none will be operational for months.” One unfortunate consequence is that the submarine crews are completely unable to gain badly needed operational experience. Only by mid-2018 will three German submarines be operational, followed by possibly a fourth that November.
But the kicker is that the Deutsche Marine would not be able to deploy its full submarine force even if all six were in operational condition. According to Bartels, there are only three trained crews available to man the six Type 212As.
Abysmal Readiness
Indeed, the German military, which transitioned to being a purely volunteer force in 2011, has struggled to fill its ranks, and has sought to appeal to young recruits with more flexible hours, cozier barracks and childcare facilities. A recent publicity campaign featured one of the female sailors serving aboard a U-Boat, which commentators have pointed out would be impossible now due to the entire fleet being grounded.
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