Cape Town - The three new submarines South Africa has bought - it recently received one of them - will still not place the country at the forefront of maritime warfare.

Although the T209-type submarines are welcome substitutes for the outdated Daphnes, they are not in the same league as the submarines of Great Britain, France or the United States.

However, the T209s are highly recommended, Die Burger was told.

More than 90 T209s have lurked in the depths of the world's oceans since four were built for the Greek navy during the late 1960s.

About 60 of them are still in use. More of these submarines were built than any other conventional one.

They were exported to at least 12 countries, among which were Israel, Turkey and Brazil.

This year, Howaldtswerke-Deutsch (HDW) started constructing the more-advanced T212 submarines that will replace the T209s at a later stage.

Helmoed-Römer Heitman, a military analyst, says the T209s are a bargain, being the "quietest" submarines on the market.

"They have a much-wider reach than the Daphnes and will come in handy on the African coast," he said.

Although at 62,2m x 7,2m x 5,5m the T209 is longer, broader and higher than the Daphne boats, it will serve essentially the same purpose.

The new submarines have only eight torpedo tubes compared the 12 on the Daphnes.

The big difference is that the Daphne submarines have four torpedo tubes at the tail. But, the T209s will carry 14 torpedos, compared to the Daphnes' 12.

When the new submarines sail on the surface at 11 knots an hour, they are slower than the Daphnes.

But, they can move at 21 knots underwater, however, which is four knots on hour faster than the Daphnes.

The T209 is especially designed for coastal patrols, the protection of navy bases and anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare.

Heitman said the navy would be able to put the submarines to good use to limit smuggling in South African waters.

But, the T209s don't come close to the giant nuclear subs of countries such as America.

At a top speed of 30 knots under water, the 170m long American boats will easily overtake the T209s.

Almost all US submarines are fitted out with Tomahawk missiles, with which they can bombard a target from as far as 1 104km.

With acknowledgements to Ziegfried Ekron, Iaine Harper and Die Burger.