Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 31:59-33:38

How quickly an interwar submarine could be built

A named U-class example took roughly eighteen months in peacetime, while wartime construction could be markedly faster.

Naval ProcurementSubmarinesWorld War II
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

How long did it take to build a U-class submarine?

Short answer

About eighteen months for the cited peacetime example, with wartime examples taking around a year or less.

Notes

Individual boats show the difference between peacetime and wartime construction. Undine took about eighteen months from laying down in February 1937 to commissioning in August 1938. A wartime Group Three boat went from laying down in April 1940 to commissioning in April 1941, with launch following after roughly seven months. The comparison shows how mobilisation accelerated construction, while later pennant changes and renamings can complicate the record.