Dutch Submarines: News of 1998

To find out what is new on this site go to what's new
Would you like to report some news about Dutch submarines ?
Please email us at webmaster@dutchsubmarines.com

Average Days At Sea of Dutch subs in 1998
Dec 1998 Marine Nieuws	The average of the days at sea of the Dutch submarines Walrus (2), Dolfijn (4), Bruinvis and Zeeleeuw (2), has been reduced to 120 days.

Bruinvis in Joint Maritime Exercise off Scotland
27 Oct 1998 Defence Systems Daily	This autumn's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Joint Maritime Course 983 will be the largest ever to be conducted in the waters off the north and north-west of Scotland. Taking part in the exercise which began on 23 October and will run until 9 November 1998 will be a total of 47 ships, seven submarines and 60 aircraft from twelve nations taking part. . . . . . . The sub surface threat will be provided by the Fleet Submarines HMS Spartan, USS Hartford, HNLMS Bruinvis, German Navy FGS U22, Royal Danish Navy HDMS Saelen, French Navy FS LA Praya and Royal Norwegian Navy HNOMS Stord.

**Zeeleeuw(2) participates in exercise Spontex**
Nov 1998 Revista General de Marina	INVITEX type exercise (Oct 3-9) organized by the French Navy and controlled by CECLANT, with was held at the Gulf of Biscay. . . . . . . . .Participating forces were: destroyers De Grasse, S M Le Bihan and Jean Moulin, AOR Meuse, SSKs La Praya and Ouessant (France); frigate Brave, SSN Spartan (U.K.); frigates De Ruyter and Van der Hulst, SSK Zeeleeuw (Holland) . . . . .Complete article

Dolfijn(4) returns to active service
Sep/Oct 1998 Dolfijn Homepage	After an 11 month refit at the R.D.M. yard in Rotterdam the Dolfijn (4) returned to active service on 28 Sep. Under the command of Ltz. I she departed from Rotterdam on the 2 Oct and arrived in Den Helder (home port) the next day.

New GMDSS communications equipment
Aug 1998 Naval Forces	Radio Holland Marine acquired the impressive order of the Royal Netherlands Navy to equip 49 Navy vessels with GMDSS communications equipment. Radio Holland Marine participated in a European tender for this order, which has a total value of DFL 2.8 million. It concerns various types of vessels from frigates to Submarines, tugs, training vessels and hydrographic vessels. The equipment supplied is SP Radio make. For the equipment special anti magnetic consoles are being designed and developed. The total supply comprises 50 RT2048 VHF's, 55 RM2042 DSC controllers, 71 RM2150 MF/HF DSC controllers, 30 Inmarsat-C satellite communications systems, 30 Compact 2100 MF/HF SSB transceivers and other associated items such as printers. The installation on board all vessels will take place in the course of this year.

War grave film footage (not) used for commercial
21 Aug 1998 RTL5 TV	Today the Dutch press reported that the film footage made of the submarines O 16 and K XVII (see Aug. 18 and 19) was going to be used in a commercial for the men's fragrance Brut Actif Blue from Unilever. Since the two submarines are still war graves this resulted in a lot of negative response from the Dutch. Unilever stated that because of all this negative publicity the footage will not be used for the commercial anymore.

Dolfijn(4) returns to active service
21 Aug 1998	It is expected that the refit of Dolfijn (4) at the R.D.M. yard will be completed next month (Sept), so she can return to active service in September/October also. Her commander is expected to be and the submarine will probably depart from Rotterdam at October 2nd.

Divers locate two Dutch W.W.II submarines
19 Aug 1998 Telegraaf	A team of divers from Singapore "located" the Dutch Submarines K XVII and O 16 in the South China Sea, East of Malaysia, off Tioman. Complete article

Dive expedition to film W.W.II submarines
18 Aug 1998 The Strait Times	A Singapore team will film two sunken Dutch submarines (O 16 and K XVII) on the Pulau Tioman seabed and offer the footage to the Singapore History Museum. Complete article

Egypt seeks submarine buy
8 July 1998 Jane's Defence Weekly	Egypt is negotiating a US Foreign Military Funding package to cover the purchase, refit and modernization of two former Royal Netherlands Navy submarines. The deal is understood to include a follow-on option for two new boats.

Navaldays / Vlootdagen at the Den Helder Naval Base
10-12 July 1998 Royal Netherlands Navy	During these Navaldays the Navy will organize many different demonstrations and exhibitions. Numerous Dutch and foreign ships are open to the public, including a Dutch submarine and possibly also the Greek submarine Glavkos.

Bruinvis visits the Spanish port of La Coruña
March 1998 Revista General de Marina May 1998	Between the 4th and the 7th of March Bruinvis visited the Spanish port of La Coruña. Before this visit the submarine participated in a PASSEX exercise with the Spanish frigate Andalucía (Baleares class).

Walrus(2) visits Zeebrugge (Belgium)
3 May 1998 Seawaves	Walrus (2) visits the port of Zeebrugge (Belgium).

Book "Ja Het Moest" published
Apr 1998	This book describes all the personnel losses of the Dutch submarine service during World War II.

3rd edition "Hr. Ms. O 21 en de kat met negen levens" published
Mar 1998 Alle Hens	This new is basically the World War II diary of a crewmember of the Dutch submarine O 21.

Dutch sub might support possible U.S./Iraq attack
13 Feb 1998 Telegraaf I	A Dutch submarine might support the possible attack of Iraq by the U.S.. Sources in the Defence Department stated that a new periscope was hurried from 's-Gravenhage to Den Helder because a Dutch submarine needed to depart for the Mediterranean as soon as possible.

Location of Dutch submarines this week
13 Feb 1998 Telegraaf I	Currently Dolfijn (4) is in the dry-dock at the Den Helder Naval base. Bruinvis, Walrus (2) are moored in Den Helder and Zeeleeuw (2) is on patrol.

Child submariners receive no pension benefits
24 Jan 1998 Telegraaf	Child submariners (14/15 years old) who served in the Dutch Submarine Service during World War II are not to receive pension benefits for the years they served while under the age of 18. MP Bertus Leerkes will ask the Dutch Minister of Defence to explain this situation.

Two Dutch subs participate in NATO exercise "Strong Resolve"
Jan 1998 Marine Nieuws #428 Jan 98	One of the larger NATO naval exercises of 1998 will be the 'Strong Resolve' exercise (9-21 March 1998). Units will operate in Norwegian, Spanish and Portuguese waters. A North and South conflict will be simulated. Among the participants of the south conflict is the Dutch submarine Bruinvis.

Hr.Ms. Walrus(2) passes for her operational exam
Jan 1998 Marine Nieuws	On 15/16 November 1997, the Walrus (2) and her crew passed the operational exam, which was conducted in Scottish waters. This exam ended a two-week CSST-period (Captain Sea Shore Training). During this period, the Walrus (2) was based at Faslane (U.K.).

Book "Hr.Ms. K XVII en Hr.Ms. O 16" published
Jan 1998 Alle Hens	The first copy of the book 'Hr. Ms. K XVII en Hr.Ms. O 16' was presented to Vice Admiral Kroon by the author Wijnand Claes.

Home		Boats	Tenders	News
			Pictures	Links
	M-media				Help US !
Copyright © 1997-2006 - Design and content DutchSubmarines.com