HNLMS Zwaardvis (S806)

HNLMS Zwaardvis (S806) (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈzʋaːrtfɪs] (listen); English: Swordfish) was a Zwaardvis-class submarine of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

HNLMS Zwaardvis (S806)
HNLMS Zwaardvis in 1972
History
Netherlands
Name: Zwaardvis
Namesake: Swordfish
Builder: Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, Rotterdam
Yard number: RDM-320
Laid down: 14 July 1966
Launched: 2 July 1970
Commissioned: 18 August 1972
Decommissioned: 1994
Identification: S806
Motto: Through struggle for freedom
Fate: Planned to be scrapped
General characteristics [1][2]*
Class and type: Zwaardvis-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 2350 tons surfaced
  • 2620 tons submerged
Length: 66.92 m (219 ft 7 in)
Beam: 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught: 7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) submerged
Complement: 65-67
Armament: 6 × 21 in (533 mm) bow torpedo tubes

Ship history

The submarine was ordered 24 December 1965 and laid down on the 14th of July 1966 at the Rotterdamse Droogdok Mij shipyard in Rotterdam. She was launched on 2 July 1970. 18 August 1972 she was commissioned in the Dutch navy.[3][4]

On Friday morning, August 18, 1972 the HNLMS Zwaardvis was transferred by RDM to the Royal Netherlands Navy and put into service. The ceremony took place at crane track 13, where the Dutch Navy's latest acquisition was moored. There were many high naval and civilian authorities among those who were interested and invited. Mrs J. den Toom - Niessink, who baptized the Zwaardvis on 2nd of July 1970, also gave an appearance at the time of commissioning. The first appointed commander of the Zwaardvis was LTZ1 B.G.A. Fanoy.[4][5]

From August until September 1977 Zwaardvis, Dolfijn, the tender Mercuur and Onondaga performed torpedo firing exercises off the coast of the United Kingdom.[3] From 2 to 21 July 1978 Zwaardvis, Dolfijn, Zeehond and Potvis practiced firing exercises.[3]

In 1985 the boat made several visits to Norway and participated in a NATO exercise. This exercise was held in the North Atlantic Ocean.[3] The following year she made visits to Scotland and France. Near Crete an exercise called Fairwind 86 was held where Zwaardvis took part in.[3] In 1986 visits are made to Scotland and Spain. The boat also participates in an exercise in the Strait of Gibraltar.[3]

In 1989 a NATO exercise called North Star was held were the boat participated in. Visits to Scotland and Norway are made in 1991.[3] The boat was decommissioned in 1994. Several countries expressed interest in buying the submarine but eventually no buyer was found and the boat is planned to be scrapped.[3]

References
  1. "Dutch Submarines: The Zwaardvis submarine class". dutchsubmarines.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  2. A.H.A.P. van den Enden, A. Goedhart en P. Hamaker, Herinneringsboek Hr. Ms. Zwaardvis (PDF) (in Dutch), RDM-collectie Johan Journée, p. 4, retrieved 23 April 2018
  3. "Dutch Submarines: The submarine Zwaardvis". dutchsubmarines.com. 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  4. "Bouwnummer RDM-320, Hr. Ms. "Zwaardvis", 1972, onderzeeboot". www.rdm-archief.nl. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  5. "Herinneringsboek Hr. Ms. Zwaardvis" (PDF). www.rdm-archief.nl. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
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