Norway retained three A-class submarines of 1914 vintage and built its domestic B class in batches of two in 1922, 1923, and 1929. A proposed alternative was to build two boats every other year, maintaining production and introducing improvements between batches. The estimate here is about eighteen boats in service by 1940, with older submarines retired as replacements arrived. Norwegian construction would sustain domestic employment, equipment development, and technical capability. A fleet of that size could keep a core of active crews, with six boats able to sail immediately on warning while the remainder relied on reservists. Uncertainty about their positions would complicate an enemy amphibious assault even before any torpedoes were fired.
Notable Point · 15:11-19:02
A steady submarine program could have transformed Norway's defence
A regular domestic building rhythm could have replaced obsolete boats, sustained Norwegian shipbuilding skills, and kept a credible submarine force ready in 1940.