Royal IHC has reached an agreement to form a partnership with Naval Group, in an effort to secure the Dutch submarine replacement project.

The partnership is expected to benefit from the companies’ expertise in designing and manufacturing complex maritime and defence systems.

Royal IHC stated that the collaboration will play a key role in creating the platform to design and build the new submarines for the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Naval Group CEO Hervé Guillou said: “Today, we are joining our strengths together with Royal IHC to support the Netherlands Ministry of Defence getting the most capable submarine responding to the specific needs of a first-rank Nato partner.”

Under the agreement, Naval Group will be responsible to define the submarine design with the Dutch authorities, while Royal IHC will handle the construction and outfitting of the end product.



The partnership also seeks to involve the Dutch maritime cluster in the project.

“Having these shared values as part of our DNA, we are confident that together we are able to offer the best solution for the Netherlands Submarine Replacement programme.”

Royal IHC CEO Dave Vander Heyde said: “Royal IHC is pleased to partner with Naval Group not only due to its extensive track record in building submarines, but also given the values our companies share; we are committed, reliable, can offer the best value product and we are extremely well placed to include a strong Dutch content base.

“Having these shared values as part of our DNA, we are confident that together we are able to offer the best solution for the Netherlands Submarine Replacement programme.”

Over the next few months, the partners will review building sites in the Netherlands and engage in an ongoing dialogue with Dutch industry partners.

Naval Group already established a subsidiary in the country to boost its local footprint and strengthen its position to bag the Dutch submarine replacement contract.

In October last year, Saab and Damen Shipyards Group teamed up to develop an expeditionary submarine that builds on the capabilities of the Swedish A26 for the Netherland’s Walrus Replacement Programme (WRES).

The Walrus-class submarine has been in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy since 1990 and is planned to be replaced with a new submarine.