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The German Type 212 class, also Italian Todaro class,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Classe Todaro page at Marina Militare website )〕 is a highly advanced design of non-nuclear submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) for the German and Italian Navies. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system using Siemens proton exchange membrane (PEM) compressed hydrogen fuel cells. The submarine can operate at high speed on diesel power or switch to the AIP system for silent slow cruising, staying submerged for up to three weeks without surfacing and with no exhaust heat. The system is also said to be vibration-free, extremely quiet and virtually undetectable. Type 212 is the first fuel cell propulsion system equipped submarine series. ==Development== At the beginning of the 1990s the German Navy was seeking a replacement for the Type 206 submarines. Initial study started on a Type 209 improved design, with AIP capability, called Type 212. The final programme started in 1994 as the two navies of Germany and Italy began working together to design a new conventional submarine, respectively to operate in the shallow and confined waters of the Baltic Sea and in the deeper waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The two different requirements were mixed into a common one and, because of significant updates to the design, the designation has been changed to Type 212A since then. In 1996 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) gave the start to the cooperation. Its main aim was the construction of identical boats and the start of a collaboration in logistic and life-cycle support for the two navies. The German government placed an initial order of four ''Type 212A'' submarines in 1998. The German Submarine Consortium built them at the shipyards of HDW and Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH (TNSW) of Emden. Different sections of the submarines were constructed at both sites at the same time and then half of them were shipped to the respective other yard so that both HDW and Thyssen Nordseewerke assembled two complete submarines each. In the same year the Italian government placed an order of two ''U212A'' submarines built by Fincantieri for the Italian Navy (''Marina Militare'') at Muggiano shipyard, designated as the Todaro class.〔 The German Navy ordered two additional, improved submarines in 2006, to be delivered from 2012 on. They will be 1.2 meters longer to give additional space for a new reconnaissance mast. On 21 April 2008 the Italian Navy ordered a second batch of submarine in the same configuration of the original ones. Some upgrading should involve materials and components of commercial derivation, as well as the software package of the CMS. The intention is to keep the same configuration of the first series and reduce maintenance costs. The export-oriented Type 214 submarine succeeds the Type 209 submarine and shares certain features with the Type 212A, such as the AIP fuel cell propulsion. In April 2006, U-32 sailed from the Baltic to Rota, Spain in a journey lasting two weeks, covering without surfacing or snorkelling.〔 〕 Seven years later, while on the way to participate in naval exercises in United States waters, U-32 established a new record for non-nuclear submarines with 18 days in submerged transit without snorkelling.〔http://www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/presse/art_detail.html&eid=TKBase_1368607004184_270131775〕 Poland announced in Dec. 2013 they will not buy, but only lease, two U212-A's, on account of not meeting "requirements of tactical and technical equipment developed by the military, including in particular the propulsion system, missile weapons and rescue system".〔http://www.thelocal.de/20131129/poland-gives-german-subs-thumbs-down〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Type 212 submarine」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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