Orka-class submarine vs Type 039A/B/C submarine

FORCETALLY

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ASubmarines

Orka-class submarine

Diesel-electric attack submarine

Type 039A/B/C submarine — licensed reference photograph

BSubmarines

Type 039A/B/C submarine

Attack submarine

Credit

Darkranch23 at English Wikipedia · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Orka-class submarineLength

82 m

Length source ↗

Type 039A/B/C submarineLength

77.6 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Orka-class submarinelarger figure on 1 of 2

Length+6%

Type 039A/B/C submarinelarger figure on 1 of 2

Beam+2%

Measured figures

Head to head

13 of 28 rows sourced on both sides

82m

77.6m

Length+6%

All recorded figures & sources

82 m

Length

Single source

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

77.6 m

Length

Single source

Configuration

Details

Orka-class submarine and Type 039A/B/C submarine configuration
Specification	Orka-class submarine	Type 039A/B/C submarine
Name	Orka class^[source]	Type 039A Type 039B Type 039C^[source]
Builders	Naval Group^[source]	Wuchang Shipbuilding , Wuhan^[source]
Operators	Royal Netherlands Navy^[source]	Current operators: People's Liberation Army Navy Pakistan Navy Future operators Royal Thai Navy^[source]
Preceded by	Walrus class^[source]	Type 039

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]	—

Built	2027 -^[source]	—

In commission	2034+^[source]	2006–present^[source]

Planned	4^[source]	≥25^[source]

Type	Diesel-electric attack submarine^[source]	Attack submarine^[source]

Propulsion	Diesel-electric with lithium-ion batteries^[source]	Diesel-electric, 1 shaft, AIP^[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 in) torpedo tubes for: Yu-10 torpedoes Yu-6 torpedoes Anti-ship cruise missiles including YJ-82 , YJ-18 (Type 039A and Type 039B) and YJ-19 (Type 039B and Type 039C)^[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	—

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	People's Republic of China^[source]

Succeeded by	—	Type 041^[source]

Subclasses	—	Hangor class (Pakistan) Matchanu class (Thailand) (under construction)^[source]

Completed	—	≥22^[source]

Active	—	At least 22 submarines: ≥1 Type 039C Per United States Department of Defense : 21 Type 039A and Type 039B combined Per International Institute for Strategic Studies : 4 Type 039A and 16 Type 039B^[source]