The commission suggested a needed number of 32 submarines of which 16 submarines were to be available within 6 years. There were at that moment the submarines Hr. Ms. K-I, II, III, IV and V available leaving the building of another 11 boats. Building costs 47,1 million Dutch guilders. With a surfaced displacement of 800 ton. Speed 15 miles while surfaced to be continued for a longer time and a diving depth of at least 60 metres. The armament consisted of 1-7,5/10cm gun, anti aircraft armament and 6 torpedo tubes for large distance torpedoes of which 18 were carried with her.
The ‘K’ in the name of the Dutch submarines at that moment referred to the fact that there were build for account of the Department of Kolonies [Colonies] but manned by the Royal Netherlands Navy and especially built for service in the tropes in contrary to the ’O’-class submarines which were in the beginning years somehow smaller and to be used in the coastal waters of the Netherlands.
The Hr. Ms. K I was laid down at the Kon. Mij. De Schelde at Vlissingen, Netherlands with yard number 142 on 16 September 1911, launched on 20 May 1913, commissioned on 5 July 1914 and towed by the Dutch tug Witte Zee in 1916 to the Dutch East Indies via the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal. This was still a dangerous voyage in the mid of the First World War despite the Netherlands being neutral. Her speed was 16,7 (surfaced)-11 (submerged) knots. Displacement 332,8 (surfaced)-385,9 (submerged) tons. The armament consisted of 3-45cm torpedo tubes for which 6 torpedoes were carried. The Hr. Ms. K V laid down on 4 April 1916 and commissioned on 15 September 1920had a displacement of 569 (surfaced)-649 (submerged) tons and an armament of 6-45cm torpedo tubes, 1-7,5cm gun and 1-12,7mm machinegun.
Source
Uittreksel uit het rapport der commissie ingesteld bij beschikking van den minister van marine A.L. van 29 mei 1920 afdeling S.N. 60 published in 1921
