France’s Naval Group has strengthened its partnerships with Dutch industry for the Orka-class submarine program, awarding new contracts to Nevesbu and Van Halteren Technologies at a defense conference in Rotterdam.
With the agreements, both companies become part of Team Orka, the expanding network supporting the 2024 Dutch submarine replacement initiative intended to replace the Walrus-class fleet, which has been in NATO service since the early 1990s.
The collaboration reinforces the Industrial Cooperation Agreement with Amsterdam’s economic development office, designed to boost domestic expertise, sustainment capability, and bilateral maritime cooperation between France and the Netherlands.
Nevesbu will be responsible for designing multiple specialized subsystems for the future submarines, leveraging its long history in submarine development and focusing on challenges such as reduced acoustic detectability and tightly integrated onboard architectures.
Van Halteren will supply major hardware, including central hydraulic power units, cooling and freezing systems, anchor-handling equipment, and capstans, all designed in-house to meet demanding standards for durability, shock tolerance, and space efficiency.
