Naval Group has secured a contract from the Dutch government to provide F21 heavyweight torpedoes for the Royal Netherlands Navy’s upcoming Orka-class submarine fleet. The procurement follows a March 2026 decision by Amsterdam to select the F21, making the Netherlands the first NATO nation to field the advanced torpedo.
As part of the agreement, Naval Group will also supply maintenance support, training programs, and simulation equipment to help prepare Dutch crews for the system’s deployment. The torpedoes will be delivered for installation aboard four Orka-class submarines that are being constructed to replace the Netherlands’ Walrus-class vessels.
The F21 was developed as a next-generation replacement for Naval Group’s F17 torpedo, combining anti-ship and anti-submarine missions within a single platform. Since achieving operational status in 2019, the weapon has been used by the French Navy and the Brazilian Navy on both conventional and nuclear-powered submarines.
Measuring 6 meters in length and 533 millimeters in diameter, the F21 weighs around 1,550 kilograms. The torpedo employs a proximity-detonation system and can strike targets at distances of up to 50 kilometers. Its electric propulsion enables speeds of up to 50 knots, while its operational depth reaches 600 meters below the surface.
