Royal IHC, Naval Group sign first contract for Netherlands Orka-class submarines

Royal IHC and Naval Group have signed their first contract under the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Orka-class submarine programme, covering the design and planned production and installation of onboard accommodation modules.

Signed on 15 September 2026, the agreement is part of the Replacement of the Netherlands Submarine Capability (RNSC) Programme, under which the Netherlands is replacing its existing submarine capability.

Royal IHC to design submarine living quarters

Under the initial contract, Royal IHC will contribute to the design of the living quarters for the new submarines. In a subsequent phase, the company is expected to undertake the production and installation of the accommodation quarters within the relevant modules.

Royal IHC is a member of Team Orka, a network of Dutch companies participating in the construction of the new submarine class. Its involvement covers specialised onboard modules as part of the wider industrial programme.

Agreement supports Dutch-French industrial cooperation

The contract forms part of the Industrial Cooperation Agreement (ICA) signed by Naval Group with the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The ICA provides for the participation of Dutch companies in the Orka-class programme and is intended to support industrial cooperation between the Netherlands and France. Royal IHC’s involvement adds its maritime engineering and manufacturing capabilities to the programme.

Eric Gret, Director of Defence at Royal IHC, said: “The signing of this contract is an important milestone for Royal IHC,” says Eric Gret, Director of Defence at Royal IHC. “Naval Group’s confidence in our expertise and manufacturing capabilities confirms the strength of our organisation. We are proud to be contributing to the Orka-class submarines and look forward with confidence to our continued future collaboration with Naval Group in the construction of complete modules.”

Mark Donderwinkel, Country Director Netherlands at Naval Group, said: “For Naval Group, collaboration with Dutch industrial partners is a key part of the programme,” says Mark Donderwinkel, Country Director Netherlands at Naval Group. “Royal IHC brings proven maritime expertise and experience in complex projects. This first contract represents an important step in our joint commitment to providing modern, reliable and future-proof submarine capability for the Royal Netherlands Navy.”