▁How ald t swer ke ▁at ▁K iel . ▁La unch ed ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁U - 3 1 ▁was ▁commission ed ▁alongside ▁her ▁sister ▁ship ▁U - 3 2 ▁by ▁German ▁Minister ▁of ▁Def ence ▁Peter ▁Str uck ▁in ▁E ck ern för de ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁U - 3 1 ▁is ▁prop elled ▁by ▁one ▁dies el ▁engine ▁and ▁an ▁electric ▁motor ▁driven ▁by ▁nine ▁fuel ▁cells , ▁making ▁the ▁sub marine ▁virt ually ▁und et ect able . ▁ ▁Kor vet ten kap it än ▁Bert ▁Pet z old ▁is ▁the ▁sub marine ' s ▁command ing ▁officer . ▁ ▁History ▁U - 3 1 ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁two ▁sections , ▁the ▁stern ▁and ▁prop ulsion ▁by ▁Nord see werke , ▁Em den ▁and ▁the ▁bow ▁at ▁How ald t swer ke - De utsch e ▁Wer ft , ▁K iel . ▁The ▁boats ▁of ▁the ▁Type ▁ 2 1 2 A ▁class ▁cost ▁around ▁ 5 0 0 ▁million ▁eu ros ▁to ▁build . ▁E qui pped ▁with ▁fuel ▁cell ▁technology ▁and ▁ste alth ▁skin , ▁they ▁are ▁almost ▁und et ect able , ▁and ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁remain ▁sub mer ged ▁for ▁up ▁to ▁three ▁weeks ▁. ▁The ▁fuel ▁cells ▁are ▁virt ually ▁emission ▁free , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁dist illed ▁water , ▁resulting ▁in ▁less ▁noise , ▁heat ▁and ▁exhaust ▁f umes . ▁ ▁U - 3 1 ▁and ▁U