(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – A fierce clash has erupted between two European shipbuilding giants, France’s Naval Group and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), after Naval Group accused its German rival of recklessly transferring submarine technology to certain nations, empowering them to build their own submarines and emerge as new competitors.
Naval Group has unleashed a scathing accusation against TKMS, claiming the German shipbuilder has recklessly handed over submarine technology, enabling nations like South Korea and Türkiye to develop their own formidable fleets.
The French company contends that TKMS has not just shared expertise—but has actively engineered its own future rivals, reshaping the global submarine market in the process.
“TKMS is the ‘champion of creating competitors.’ They have undertaken extensive technology transfers to Türkiye and South Korea, two nations that are now active players in the submarine export market,” said Guillaume Rochard, Naval Group’s Head of Strategy, Cooperation, and Mergers & Acquisitions.
Both companies manufacture submarines for the international market. Naval Group produces, among others, the Scorpène-class submarines, which are currently in service with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
TKMS has firmly cemented its presence in the global submarine market, counting the Republic of Singapore Navy among its high-profile clients, having delivered four state-of-the-art Invincible-class Type 218SG submarines.
Malaysia’s “Scorpene” submarine.
The rivalry between the two defense giants is relentless, with Naval Group and TKMS locked in fierce competition for lucrative submarine contracts.
Rochard has singled out TKMS as Naval Group’s most formidable adversary in the conventional submarine sector, warning that the German firm’s aggressive approach threatens to reshape the industry’s balance of power.
He asserted that Naval Group takes extreme precautions in technology transfers, ensuring its expertise does not inadvertently spawn future competitors.
This calculated restraint, he added, stands in stark contrast to TKMS’s more liberal and high-risk approach.
TKMS, however, has denied accusations of irresponsible technology transfer, asserting that the company “sets the benchmark for responsible technology transfer” in the naval defense industry.
The German company also emphasized that, in addition to safeguarding its intellectual property, all product sales are structured to ensure that customers can “commission and operate our products for any naval mission they need to perform in defense of their country.”
Scorpene
The company stated that it could not comment on specific projects due to their classified nature.
TKMS further stressed that its role in the naval defense industry is “clearly defined within the respective export control regulations that govern all forms of technology transfer.”
“At ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, we always operate in full compliance with these regulations,” the company said.
In 2009, ThyssenKrupp secured a contract from Türkiye to build six submarines equipped with an air-independent propulsion system based on its HDW fuel cell technology.
Built at the Gölçük Naval Shipyard near Izmit, Türkiye’s Reis-class submarines mark a turning point in the nation’s naval ambitions, with the first vessel officially entering service in August 2024.
In a bold declaration of its rising capabilities, Türkiye announced just last month that it has begun construction on its first fully indigenous submarine—a pivotal move that signals the country’s march toward self-sufficiency in advanced underwater warfare technology.
The fourth Type 218SG Invincible-class submarine, “Impeccable,” belonging to the Republic of Singapore Navy at the TKMS facility in Kiel, Germany. (image credit Eckhard Uhrbrock via @D__Mitch/Twitter)South Korea’s Type-214 submarines were developed by TKMS.
Meanwhile, ThyssenKrupp’s influence extends beyond Türkiye. The German shipbuilder played a critical role in shaping South Korea’s naval strength, providing the design and key components for the country’s Class 214 submarines.
Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean, the first two submarines of this formidable class were commissioned in 2008, solidifying South Korea’s position as a major player in the submarine domain.