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17 October 2023
by Kate Tringham
HNLMS
Walrus
was formally decommissioned on 12 October after 31 years of service.
(Dutch MoD)
The Dutch navy has retired its lead Walrus-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK) from service.
HNLMS
Walrus
(S 802) – the first of four Walrus-class SSKs operated by the Dutch navy – was formally decommissioned during a ceremony held in Den Helder, the Netherlands, on 12 October.
Announcing the milestone the same day, the Dutch Ministry of Defence
(MoD)
said the decommissioning ceremony marked “both the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter” as the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) progresses its plans to procure four new replacement submarines for the Walrus-class SSKs, which entered service between 1990 and 1994.
In early 2024 the MoD is planning to announce which shipyard will build the successor to the Walrus class. In the meantime,
Walrus
will serve as a source of spare parts to keep the other three boats –
Zeeleeuw
(S 803),
Dolfijn
(S 808), and
Bruinvis
(S 810) – operational.
“The withdrawal of
Walrus
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