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TKMS

TKMS AG & Co. KGaA is a group and holding company of providers of naval vessels, surface ships and submarines. It was founded when large industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp acquired Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in January 2005.

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TKMS AG & Co. KGaA
Company type
Public
IndustryShipbuilding
FoundedJanuary 5, 2005 (2005-01-05)
Headquarters
Kiel
,
Germany
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Owner
Number of employees
9,100 (2025)
ParentThyssenKrupp
Subsidiaries
Websitetkmsgroup.com

TKMS AG & Co. KGaA (ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems) is a group and holding company of providers of naval vessels, surface ships and submarines. It was founded when large industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp acquired Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in January 2005.

Composition

The group consists of:

As of August 30, 2006, the group represented a sales volume of around €2.2 billion and had a workforce of 8,400 people.

On the 12th of April 2023, ThyssenKrupp sold its stake on Hellenic Shipyards to George Prokopiou.1

History

The corporation opened a branch office in Karachi, Pakistan on 25 July 2007. By January 2009, it had become one of the biggest private shipbuilding companies in Pakistan.

In 2017 the Israeli government and TKMS signed a deal for three Dakar-class submarines. Allegations of corruption surrounding the deal have led to the formation of an Israeli governmental committee of inquiry and subsequent prosecution for corruption.2

In 2021, TKMS received the biggest order in its history, worth €5.5 billion for six identical Type 212CD submarines (in partnership with Kongsberg Gruppen) for the German and Norwegian navies.34 In January 2021, ThyssenKrupp confirmed the acquisition of the Oceana shipyard in Itajaí, Brazil, becoming the company's first shipyard in Latin America, with the objective of building the new Brazilian Tamandaré-class frigates.5

In 2023, TKMS signed a memorandum of understanding with India's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, with the value of the agreement expected to be about 7 billion euros.67

Also in 2023, the German government signalled that it was prepared to back a sale of TKMS by taking a supporting minority stake.4 Since 2024, ThyssenKrupp has been running a dual-track process for TKMS, which could result in either a sale or spin-off of the division. In June 2024, private equity firm Carlyle and German development bank KfW entered into negotiations to jointly acquire a majority stake in TKMS.8 By October 2024, Carlyle abandoned the negotiations.9

In 2024, TKMS and German peer NVL formed a joint venture to primarily build F127 frigates.10

In July 2025, the German government reached a preliminary agreement with ThyssenKrupp on getting a right of approval if a stake of 25% or more were to be sold in TKMS following a spin-off; in addition, the government would have a pre-emptive right if ThyssenKrupp were to sell a stake of 5% or more to a third party.11

In August 2025, TKMS lost out against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on a landmark $6.5 billion deal to supply the Royal Australian Navy with new frigates.12 That same month, it became one of the two finalists, along with Hanwha Ocean, under consideration for a contract to deliver up to twelve submarines to the Royal Canadian Navy.13

In January 2026, TKMS submitted a non-binding bid for smaller competitor German Naval Yards (GNYK).14

Military ships and submarines sales and production

Ships

Confirmed sales

Design base Class Type of ships Shipyard Order / in production Client Notes
MEKO 200 Al-Aziz class Multipurpose light frigate Alexandria Shipyard, in Egypt

(produced under licence)

1

(3 out of 4 delivered)

 Egyptian Navy The three first frigates of this class were constructed at the Stahlbau Nord Shipyard, in Bremerhaven (Germany), and the fitting out took place at the HDW shipyard in Kiel (Germany). The three ships were delivered.1516

The fourth ship is made under licence in Egypt, and the fitting out is ongoing.17

MEKO A-100 Tamandaré-class frigate Multipurpose light frigate TKMS Estaleiro Brasil Sul shipyard, in Itajaí (Brazil)

(former Oceana Shipyard)18

3

(1 out of 4 delivered)

 Brazilian Navy 4 ordered in Mar 2020, production in a TKMS shipyard in Itajaí (Brazil).19
Berlin-class replenishment ship Protecteur-class auxiliary vessel AOR vessel

Auxiliary Oil Replenishment

Seaspan Shipyards, in Vancouver (Canada)

(produced under licence)

1  Royal Canadian Navy 1 already delivered, a second in production. The ships are part of the JSS project.20
Total 5

Likely sales

Design base Class Type of ships Shipyard Likely sales Client Notes
MEKO A-400 AMD F127-class frigate Guided-missile frigate (air defence) – 8  German Navy Eight frigates are planned to be purchased by the German Navy.2122
MEKO 200 F128 - MEKO A-200 DEU-class frigate Frigate ASW
Anti-submarine warfare 		– 4  German Navy Interim solution to fulfil the ASW role as a stopgap until the entry into service of the delayed F126 Niedersachsen-class frigate. Four frigates are planned.2324
MEKO A100 Tamandaré class Multipurpose light frigate TKMS Estaleiro Brasil Sul shipyard, in Itajaí (Brazil)

(former Oceana Shipyard)18

4  Brazilian Navy 4 additional planned to be purchased as of Apr 2026.19
Total 16

Submarines

Confirmed sales

Design base Class Type of ships Shipyard Order / in production Client Notes
– Dolphin II-class submarine Cruise-missile and attack submarine TKMS shipyard in Kiel (Germany) 1

(2 out of 3 delivered)

 Israeli Navy The last submarine of the Dolphine II class was launched in Nov 2024.25
– Dakar-class submarine Cruise-missile and attack submarine TKMS shipyard in Kiel (Germany) 3  Israeli Navy The submarines were ordered in Jan 2022, and the production started in Nov 2024.2627

It is equipped with VLS, and is likely designed to launch nuclear cruise missiles.28

Type 212 Type 212CD-class submarine Attack submarine TKMS shipyard in Kiel (Germany)29

TKMS Wismar shipyard in the future30
(former MV Werften shipyard)

6  German Navy Common orders and contract from Norway and Germany.

German orders:

  • 2 ordered in Aug 2021.31
  • 4 ordered in Dec 2024.32

Norwegian orders:

  • 4 ordered in Aug 2021.31
  • 2 ordered in Dec 2025.33
6  Royal Norwegian Navy
Type 214 Reis-class submarine Attack submarine Gölcük Naval Shipyard, in Gölcük (Turkey)

(produced under licence, with packages supplied by TKMS / HDW)

4

(2 out of 6 delivered)

 Turkish Navy The contract for 6 submarines was signed in Jul 2009.3435

The second submarine was handed over in Nov 2025.3637

Type 218 Invincible-class submarine Attack submarine TKMS shipyard in Kiel (Germany)38 3

(3 out of 6 delivered)

 Republic of Singapore Navy Orders:
  • 4 ordered in Nov 2013, three delivered, the fourth is ongoing sea trial.38
  • 2 ordered in May 2025.39
Total 23

Likely sales

Class Subclass Type of ships Shipyard Likely sales Client Notes
Type 214 Project P-75I - phase 2 Attack submarine MDSL shipyard in Mumbai (India)

(to be produced under licence / tech transfer)

6  Indian Navy Class selected in Jan 2025, as part of the Project P-75I, likely to be produced under licence in India.40
Total 6

Planned replacements

Ongoing bids and potential sales in new submarine purchase programmes.

Class Subclass Type of ships Potential sales Client Notes
Type 209 Type 209NG-class submarine Attack submarine 3  Argentine Navy In competition with Naval Group to supply submarines to Argentina.41
Type 209 Type 209NG-class submarine Attack submarine 4  Egyptian Navy The Egyptian Navy is looking to replace its Romeo-class submarines, and the Type 209 is among the likely competitors.4243
Type 209 Type 209NG-class submarine Attack submarine 4  Hellenic Navy The Hellenic Navy is planning to procure 4 submarines, and one of the German models will be offered.44

They will replace the Glafkos-class submarine (Type 209/1100) and Poseidon-class submarine (Type 209/1200).

Type 212 Type 212CD-class submarine
U212NFS-class submarine
Type 218 –
Type 212 Type 212CD-class submarine Attack submarine 3  German Navy According to the Zielbild Marine 2035+ plan, the German will operate from 6 to 9 Type 212CD-class submarine, therefore up to 3 additional vessels could be ordered..45
Type 212 U212NFS class Attack submarine 2  Philippine Navy The U212NFS is made in partnership with Fincantieri.4647
Type 212 Type 212CD-class submarine Attack submarine 6 to 12  Royal Canadian Navy Canada unveiled its plan for the future of its navy, which includes up to 12 submarines. Norway and Germany offered a partnership with the Type 212CD.4849 The competitor is Hanwha Ocean.50

The Royal Canadian Navy is considering ordering 6 submarines from each supplier.51

– – Attack submarine 2  Royal Malaysian Navy Two planned to be procured between 2031 and 2035, no supplier selected yet.52
– Dolphin II-class submarine Attack submarine 3  Royal Moroccan Navy In 2025, Morocco expressed an interest to purchase 3 submarines.53545556
Type 209 Type 209-1400 class
Up to 33
References

References

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External links