TKMS and the Israeli Navy announced that the INS DRAKON submarine has successfully departed Kiel and is now in transit to Israel. The INS DRAKON is the third and final submarine of the HDW “Dolphin” class with AIP propulsion, one of the most complex submarine classes TKMS has ever built. With its departure, the Dolphin AIP program has been successfully completed.
Oliver Burkhard, CEO of TKMS: “With the departure of the ‘INS DRAKON,’ we are successfully concluding a challenging program that was characterized over many years by trust, technological expertise, and shared responsibility. Israel is an important partner for us in the maritime sector. With the ‘DAKAR’ class, we are continuing our collaboration and demonstrating that TKMS not only develops complex naval programs but also reliably brings them to fruition.”
In parallel with the completion of the “Dolphin AIP” program, work is progressing on the “DAKAR” class, the next generation of submarines for the Israeli Navy. Production of the first submarine in this class began several years ago. This marks the continuation of the long-standing partnership, which is continually evolving in line with the changing requirements of the maritime environment. TKMS and the Israeli Navy share a relationship that has grown over decades and has become an integral part of defense cooperation between Germany and Israel. Several generations of naval vessels for the Israeli Navy, including Dolphin-class submarines and Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, have already been built at the company’s shipyards.
TKMS and Fincantieri look to JV for underwater domain work
TKMS and Fincantieri have signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at deepening their long‑standing partnership and strengthening European industrial cooperation in the submarine and underwater domain. The two companies intend to establish a Collaboration Framework by the end of the year, subject to the completion of all applicable regulatory processes.
The agreement marks a significant step toward enhancing the European naval defence industrial base through closer cooperation between two leading players in the sector. By leveraging complementary technological strengths, the partnership aims to address the current fragmentation of the European naval industry, particularly in the submarine and underwater domain, and promote a more integrated, competitive and efficient approach to future programs, in accordance with applicable laws. This will support the realisation of new projects and cost synergies on both sides.
Oliver Burkhard, CEO of TKMS, says: “Our partnership with Fincantieri demonstrates what European industrial collaboration can achieve when it is built on trust and shared technological excellence. This Memorandum of Understanding once again underscores our commitment to expanding international cooperation amongst the European maritime industry and reaffirms the strengthening of our partnership. By combining our complementary expertise, we can drive innovation, create new opportunities for our customers, and strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy.”
The cooperation between Fincantieri and TKMS places a strong emphasis on technology, innovation, and long-term capability development. Thereby, Fincantieri and TKMS contribute to a more resilient, competitive, and strategically autonomous European naval industrial base. The envisaged partnership is designed to explore future opportunities and does not include any merger or acquisition. Both companies will continue to operate independently, with all existing contracts, programs, and projects remaining unaffected.
F127 air defence frigate design well advanced
A400 FC GmbH, the project company led by TKMS, has made significant progress on the design for the F127 air defence frigate. This was achieved in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Defense, the German Navy, the Federal Office of Defense Procurement (BAAINBw), and its industry partners. The design is based on the MEKO A400 design and addresses the customer’s wide-ranging strategic capability requirements for long-range air defense and ballistic missile defence (BMD).
The F127 air defence frigate was designed to meet the customer’s needs and aligned with the ship’s particularly demanding capability profile. The military and technological demands defined by the contracting authority relate in particular to the capability to intercept ballistic missiles even outside the Earth’s atmosphere. As a sea-based platform, the F127 is designed to be deployed flexibly wherever air and missile defence is needed – to protect naval formations as well as to serve as a mobile component of NATO’s integrated air defence. The current size of the F127 is largely determined by updated customer requirements: Sensors, effectors, command and weapon control systems, as well as the necessary energy, space, and weight reserves, significantly determine the platform’s current dimensions. The current F127 design is based on the proven MEKO concept from TKMS and also takes into account the necessary potential for growth to accommodate the integration of future sensors, effectors, and other technologies.
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