Orka-class submarine vs S-80 Plus-class submarine

ASubmarines

Orka-class submarine

Diesel-electric attack submarine

S-80 Plus-class submarine — licensed reference photograph

BSubmarines

S-80 Plus-class submarine

Submarine with air-independent propulsion (AIP)

Credit

A Guy Named Nyal · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Orka-class submarineLength

82 m

Length source ↗

S-80 Plus-class submarineLength

81.05 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Orka-class submarinelarger figure on 2 of 3

Length+1%
Range+250%

S-80 Plus-class submarinelarger figure on 1 of 3

Beam+42%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

13 of 31 rows sourced on both sides

82m

81.05m

Length+1%

All recorded figures & sources

82 m

Length

Single source

82 m (269 ft 0 in)^[source]

81.05 m

Length

Single source

81.05 m (265 ft 11 in)^[source]

8.2m

11.68m

Beam+42%

All recorded figures & sources

8.2 m

Beam

Single source

8.2 m (26 ft 11 in)^[source]

11.68 m

Beam

Single source

11.68 m (38 ft 4 in)^[source]

—

7.3m

Draught

All recorded figures & sources

7.3 m

Draught

Single source

7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)^[source]

3,300tSurfaced

2,965tSubmerged

DisplacementScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

3,300 tonnes

Surfaced

Single source

3,300 t (3,248 long tons ) surfaced^[source]

2,965 tonnes

Submerged

Single source

2,965 t (2,918 long tons) submerged^[source]

35–43peopleplus at least 16 additional berths

—

Crew

All recorded figures & sources

35–43 people

plus at least 16 additional berths

Single source

35 to 43 (plus at least 16 additional berths)^[source]

—

32plus 8 troops

Complement

All recorded figures & sources

32 people

plus 8 troops

Single source

32 (plus 8 troops)^[source]

—

35km/hMaximum; Submerged

Speed

All recorded figures & sources

35 km/h

Maximum; Submerged

Single source

22 km/h

Maximum; Surfaced

Single source

12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) submerged^[source]

28,000km

8,000km

Range+250%

All recorded figures & sources

28,000 km

Range

Single source

15,000 nmi (28,000 km; 17,000 mi)^[source]

8,000 km

Range

Single source

8,000 km (5,000 mi)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Orka-class submarine and S-80 Plus-class submarine configuration
Specification	Orka-class submarine	S-80 Plus-class submarine
Thrust	—	1 shaft Etanol-AIP 3 bio-ethanol engines (3 × 1,200 kW) MTU-16V-396SE-85L 1 electric motor (3,500 kW), 1 AIP fuel cell unit (300 kW) Vulkan couplings RATO-S G-561W. 280 kN·m^[source]
Name	Orka class^[source]	—
Builders	Naval Group^[source]	Navantia^[source]
Operators	Royal Netherlands Navy^[source]	Spanish Navy^[source]
Preceded by	Walrus class^[source]	Galerna class^[source]
Cost	€ 3.5 billion (2018) (equivalent to € 4.11 billion in 2025) for 4 units € 4.64 billion (2020) (equivalent to € 5.36 billion in 2025) for 4 units € 5.6 billion (2024) (equivalent to € 5.65 billion in 2025) for 4 units^[source]	€ 3.935 billion (2018) for 4 units € 983.75 million (2018) per unit^[source]
Built	2027 -^[source]	2005–2029 (planned)^[source]
In commission	2034+^[source]	2023-present^[source]
Planned	4^[source]	4^[source]
Type	Diesel-electric attack submarine^[source]	Submarine with air-independent propulsion (AIP)^[source]
Propulsion	Diesel-electric with lithium-ion batteries^[source]	—
Sensors & processing systems	Systems: Thales multi-acoustic sensors surveillance Sonars: Thales sonar suite: Flank array sonar Towed array sonar MOAS (mine & obstacle avoidance sonar) Cylindrical array sonar Intercept cylindrical array Echo sounder (navigation) Masts: Safran Series-30AOM / SOM attack and search optronics mast (equipped with integral RESM antennas) Safran Series 10 CSR mast with Sentinel-U radar Safran SIGMA 40 XP gyrolaser navigation systems Communications: Thales underwater communication systems^[source]	—
Armament	6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes for: F21 Mk2 heavy torpedoes Cruise missiles (TBD) Payload capacity: 30 torpedo-size weapons and UUV^[source]	6 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes with: Torpedoes: DM2A4 Mark 48 (option) Black Shark (option) Spearfish (option) Torped 2000 (option) Anti-ship missiles: UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon block II (option) Exocet (option) Joint Strike Missile (studies) Cruise missiles: Tomahawk (option) Cylindrical multi-influence mines MINEA smart bottom mines^[source]
Role	future submarine class^[source]	—
Source measurement	Roughly, there are two groups in the Dutch parliament – one in favor of replacing the Walrus class by an equally capable class of large, expeditionary, diesel-electric submarine, and the other in favor of choosing a cheaper solution of smaller diesel-electrics, similar to Swedish and German submarines.^[source]Orka-class submarine · History / Continued delays; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Damen Group and Saab Group announced that they have partnered from 2015 to jointly develop, offer and build next-generation submarines that are able to replace the current Walrus -class submarines. It was announced on 1 June 2018 that their design will be derived from the A26 submarine . The proposed submarine is around 73 metres (239 ft 6 in) long with a beam of 8 metres (26 ft 3 in). Furthermore, the displacement will be around 2,900 tonnes (2,900 long tons ), with a complement of 34 to 42 people. The boat's armament includes six torpedo tubes and one multi-mission lock which can be used to deploy special forces. On 28 July 2023 they submitted a submarine design for the Walrus class replacement program that is called C718. The offer includes knowledge transfer so that the Royal Netherlands Navy can perform maintenance and upgrade the submarines during their lifespan by themselves.^[source]Orka-class submarine · History / Contenders; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	—
Country of origin	France^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 8, row 3, cell 3; revision 1374083197; retrieved 2026-10-01	—
Building	—	2^[source]
Completed	—	2^[source]
Active	—	1^[source]
Endurance	—	30-55 days in immersion^[source]
Test depth	—	460 m (1,510 ft)^[source]
Notes	—	AIP reactor autonomy: 28 days^[source]
National origin	—	Spain^[source]

FORCETALLY

Loading the evidence…

Preparing your view.

Orka-class submarine

S-80 Plus-class submarine

Thrust

—

1 shaft Etanol-AIP 3 bio-ethanol engines (3 × 1,200 kW) MTU-16V-396SE-85L 1 electric motor (3,500 kW), 1 AIP fuel cell unit (300 kW) Vulkan couplings RATO-S G-561W. 280 kN·m^[source]

Name

Orka class^[source]

—

Builders

Naval Group^[source]

Navantia^[source]

Operators

Royal Netherlands Navy^[source]

Spanish Navy^[source]

Preceded by

Walrus class^[source]

Galerna class^[source]

Cost

€ 3.5 billion (2018) (equivalent to € 4.11 billion in 2025) for 4 units € 4.64 billion (2020) (equivalent to € 5.36 billion in 2025) for 4 units € 5.6 billion (2024) (equivalent to € 5.65 billion in 2025) for 4 units^[source]

€ 3.935 billion (2018) for 4 units € 983.75 million (2018) per unit^[source]

Built

2027 -^[source]

2005–2029 (planned)^[source]

In commission

2034+^[source]

2023-present^[source]

Planned

4^[source]

Type

Diesel-electric attack submarine^[source]

Submarine with air-independent propulsion (AIP)^[source]

Propulsion

Diesel-electric with lithium-ion batteries^[source]

—

Sensors & processing systems

Systems: Thales multi-acoustic sensors surveillance Sonars: Thales sonar suite: Flank array sonar Towed array sonar MOAS (mine & obstacle avoidance sonar) Cylindrical array sonar Intercept cylindrical array Echo sounder (navigation) Masts: Safran Series-30AOM / SOM attack and search optronics mast (equipped with integral RESM antennas) Safran Series 10 CSR mast with Sentinel-U radar Safran SIGMA 40 XP gyrolaser navigation systems Communications: Thales underwater communication systems^[source]

—

Armament

6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes for: F21 Mk2 heavy torpedoes Cruise missiles (TBD) Payload capacity: 30 torpedo-size weapons and UUV^[source]

6 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes with: Torpedoes: DM2A4 Mark 48 (option) Black Shark (option) Spearfish (option) Torped 2000 (option) Anti-ship missiles: UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon block II (option) Exocet (option) Joint Strike Missile (studies) Cruise missiles: Tomahawk (option) Cylindrical multi-influence mines MINEA smart bottom mines^[source]

Role

future submarine class^[source]

—

Source measurement

Roughly, there are two groups in the Dutch parliament – one in favor of replacing the Walrus class by an equally capable class of large, expeditionary, diesel-electric submarine, and the other in favor of choosing a cheaper solution of smaller diesel-electrics, similar to Swedish and German submarines.^[source]Orka-class submarine · History / Continued delays; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Damen Group and Saab Group announced that they have partnered from 2015 to jointly develop, offer and build next-generation submarines that are able to replace the current Walrus -class submarines. It was announced on 1 June 2018 that their design will be derived from the A26 submarine . The proposed submarine is around 73 metres (239 ft 6 in) long with a beam of 8 metres (26 ft 3 in). Furthermore, the displacement will be around 2,900 tonnes (2,900 long tons ), with a complement of 34 to 42 people. The boat's armament includes six torpedo tubes and one multi-mission lock which can be used to deploy special forces. On 28 July 2023 they submitted a submarine design for the Walrus class replacement program that is called C718. The offer includes knowledge transfer so that the Royal Netherlands Navy can perform maintenance and upgrade the submarines during their lifespan by themselves.^[source]Orka-class submarine · History / Contenders; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

—

Country of origin

France^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 8, row 3, cell 3; revision 1374083197; retrieved 2026-10-01

—

Building

—

2^[source]

Completed

—

2^[source]

Active

—

1^[source]

Endurance

—

30-55 days in immersion^[source]

Test depth

—

460 m (1,510 ft)^[source]

Notes

—

AIP reactor autonomy: 28 days^[source]

National origin

—

Spain^[source]