German submarine U-31 (S181)

History
Germany
Name	U-31
Builder	Nordseewerke, Emden; Howaldtswerke, Kiel;
Launched	20 March 2002
Commissioned	19 October 2005
Status	in service.
Class & type	Type 212A
General characteristics
Class & type	Type 212
Type	submarine
Displacement	1,450 tonnes (1,430 long tons) surfaced; 1,830 tonnes (1,800 long tons) submerged;
Length	56 m (183.7 ft); 57.2 m (187.66 ft) (2nd batch);
Beam	7 m (22.96 ft)
Draft	6 m (19.68 ft)
Installed power	1 x MTU-396 16V (2,150 kW); 1 x Siemens Permasyn electric motor Type FR6439-3900KW (2,850 kW)
Propulsion	1 MTU 16V 396 diesel-engine; 9 HDW/Siemens PEM fuel cells, 30–40 kW each (U31); 2 HDW/Siemens PEM fuel cells each with 120 kW (U32, U33, U34); 1 Siemens Permasyn electric motor 1700 kW, driving a single seven-bladed skewback propeller;
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h) submerged, 12 knots surfaced
Range	8,000 nmi (14,800 km, or 9,196 miles) at 8 knots (15 km/h) surfaced; 3 weeks without snorkeling, 12 weeks overall;
Endurance	Surface 14,800 km at 15 km/h, Subsurface 780 km at 15 km/h, 3,000 nmi at 4 kn,
Test depth	over 700 m (2,296 ft)
Complement	5 officers, 22 men
Sensors &; processing systems	CSU 90 (DBQS-40FTC), Sonar: ISUS90-20, Radar: Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band nav.,
Electronic warfare; & decoys	EADS FL 1800U suite
Armament	6 x 533 mm torpedo tubes (in 2 forward pointing groups of 3) with 13 DM2A4, A184 Mod.3, Black Shark Torpedo, IDAS missiles and 24 external naval mines (optional)

U-31 (S181) is a Type 212A submarine of the German Navy, and the lead ship of her class.

U-31 was built by TKMS, with construction taking place at the shipyards of Thyssen Nordseewerke of Emden and Howaldtswerke at Kiel. Launched on 20 March 2002, U-31 was commissioned alongside her sister ship U-32 by German Minister of Defence Peter Struck in Eckernförde on 19 October 2005. U-31 is propelled by one diesel engine and an electric motor driven by nine fuel cells, making the submarine virtually undetectable.

Korvettenkapitän Bert Petzold is the submarine's commanding officer.

History

Germany
Name	U-31
Builder	Nordseewerke, Emden Howaldtswerke, Kiel
Launched	20 March 2002
Commissioned	19 October 2005
Status	in service.
Class & type	Type 212A
General characteristics
Class & type	Type 212
Type	submarine
Displacement	1,450 tonnes (1,430 long tons) surfaced 1,830 tonnes (1,800 long tons) submerged
Length	56 m (183.7 ft) 57.2 m (187.66 ft) (2nd batch)
Beam	7 m (22.96 ft)
Draft	6 m (19.68 ft)
Installed power	1 x MTU-396 16V (2,150 kW); 1 x Siemens Permasyn electric motor Type FR6439-3900KW (2,850 kW)
Propulsion	1 MTU 16V 396 diesel-engine 9 HDW/Siemens PEM fuel cells, 30–40 kW each (U31) 2 HDW/Siemens PEM fuel cells each with 120 kW (U32, U33, U34) 1 Siemens Permasyn electric motor 1700 kW, driving a single seven-bladed skewback propeller
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h) submerged, 12 knots surfaced
Range	8,000 nmi (14,800 km, or 9,196 miles) at 8 knots (15 km/h) surfaced 3 weeks without snorkeling, 12 weeks overall
Endurance	Surface 14,800 km at 15 km/h, Subsurface 780 km at 15 km/h, 3,000 nmi at 4 kn,
Test depth	over 700 m (2,296 ft)
Complement	5 officers, 22 men
Sensors & processing systems	CSU 90 (DBQS-40FTC), Sonar: ISUS90-20, Radar: Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band nav.,
Electronic warfare & decoys	EADS FL 1800U suite
Armament	6 x 533 mm torpedo tubes (in 2 forward pointing groups of 3) with 13 DM2A4, A184 Mod.3, Black Shark Torpedo, IDAS missiles and 24 external naval mines (optional)