The Type 209 (German: U-Boot-Klasse 209) is a range of diesel-electric attack submarines developed exclusively for export by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany.

The Type 209 family is the most widely proliferated submarine in Latin America, having been adopted by seven countries.

Several designs originally built for specific nations were available including the French Daphné, British Oberon, and the Soviet Foxtrot-class submarines.

The design is single hulled and allows the commanding officer to see the entire submarine from the bow to stern while standing at the periscope.

[4] Four 120-cell batteries are located forward and aft of the command center in the lower deck and make up about 25% of the boat's displacement.

The boats can also carry the Mark 24 Tigerfish (Brazil, Turkey's Preveze class 209/1400), DM2A3 (Colombia), Blackshark (Chile), A184 mod.

Brazil's boats will receive new integrated combat systems from Lockheed Martin to enable use of the Mark 48 torpedo.

Iran had an order for six Type 209 submarines that was cancelled by Grand Ayatolla Khomeini in 1979, following the Iranian Revolution.

[citation needed] The second user was Argentina which commissioned two Type 209/1200 submarines (Salta class) in 1974.

The vessel continued on to the combat area, and managed to fire at least 3 wire guided SST-4 mod0 torpedoes at the British fleet.

[21] The first three Dolphin-class submarines built for the Israeli Navy are based on the Type 209 although heavily modified and enlarged.

The Sabalo class built for Venezuela was slightly lengthened during a modernization at HDW in the early 1990s.

The increased length is due to the addition of a new sonar dome that is similar to the model found on the German Type 206.

The boat is 0.85 m (2 ft 9 in) longer and fitted with higher power diesels, different electric motors, batteries, electronics and sensors.

The Thomson class built for the Chilean Navy has escape hatches fitted in the torpedo and engine room.

[25] Between 2004 and 2006, the Indonesian Type 209/1300 (Cakra-class) submarine Cakra underwent a refurbishment by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea.

[34] The South Korean Jang Bogo-class submarines (Hangul: 장보고급 잠수함, Hanja: 張保皐級潛水艦) have reportedly been heavily upgraded in the 21st century,[35] which if undertaken was supposed to include domestic hull stretch augmentation from 1,200 tons to 1,400 tons and installment of domestically developed Torpedo Acoustic Counter Measures (TACM).

[36] Some upgrades could have been affected or altered due to Korean economic problems of the late 1990s, which modified other plans to acquire nine 1,500-ton AIP-equipped boats or upgrade six 1200 boats to 1,500-tons AIP-equipped boats,[36][37][38] although the more ambitious plan to acquire nine 1,800-ton Type 214 AIP submarines was preserved and put under progress, not unaided by the quick recovery of the South Korean economy in 1999,[39] which will reportedly be wrapped up in 2018 when all submarines of the type are scheduled to be commissioned.

LIG Nex1 began producing TACM for unspecified submarine types of the ROKN as well, which finished development in 2000.

[48] In December 2011, Daewoo won a contract to build Indonesia three 1,400-ton Jang Bogo class (the Nagapasa-class) submarines for $1.07 billion.

Indonesia was also offered two license built Type 209 submarines manufactured by a group of Turkish (SSM - Undersecretariat for Defense Industries) and German companies (HDW/ThyssenKrupp), a deal reported to be valued at $1 billion.