The submarine Sælen

The submarine Sælen, originally a German design for the Norwegian Navy and purchased by Denmark in 1990, was decommissioned as the last Danish submarine in 2004.

Sælen was commissioned on 10 October 1990 and was named by HRH Prince Joakim.

Sælen, formerly Uthaug, was a German-built submarine from the mid-sixties, which, together with Tumleren and Springeren, was purchased in Norway in 1990, where they had been part of the Koppen class.

After the end of the Cold War, Sælen participated in NATO's anti-terrorist operations in the Mediterranean, where it could shadow suspicious ships while hidden below the surface. It continued with operations in the Gulf during the war against Saddam Hussein and his regime in 2003.

With the defense agreement of 2004, the submarines' almost 100-year era ended, and on December 21, 2004, the Sælen was removed from the Navy's numbers.

The submarine Sælen, together with its sister ships Tumleren and Springeren, constituted the last units of the Danish submarines. These three units were purchased from Norway in 1990. Originally called Sælen UTHAUG in the Norwegian Navy and it was built at the German Rheinstahl-Nordseewerke after a design by Ingenieurkontor Lübeck with the type designation 207.

The keel was laid on 31 May 1965 and it was launched on 3 October 1965.

Entered the fleet on 10 October 1990 and decommissioned on 21 December 2004.

Sælen weighs 370 tons and has a length of 47.2 m, a width of 4.7 m and a draft of 3.80 m. The crew consisted of 24 men.

It could reach a speed of 10 knots on the surface and up to 17 knots when submerged, had only one screw that was in direct connection with 1 electric motor of 1,700 HP, the batteries were charged by 2 pcs. MTU diesel engines of 1,100 hp each.

After the end of the Cold War, Sælen participated, among other things, in NATO's anti-terror operations in the Mediterranean, where it could covertly shadow suspicious ships, and subsequently the SEAL also participated in operations in the Gulf during the war against Saddam Hussein in 2003.

With the defense agreement of 2004, the submarines' almost 100-year glory was over and Sælen became Denmark's last operational submarine.

Sælen was transferred to the Danish Museum of Defense History and the Ships on Holmen are today responsible for its maintenance and display.