German submarine U-994

German submarine U-994 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 25 May 1941, and was laid down on 14 November 1942 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 194. She was launched on 8 July 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wolf Ackermann on 2 September 1943.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-994 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-994 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.

Service history
On 17 July 1944, as U-944 was returning from her first, and only, war patrol she came under attack by a Norwegian Mosquito of No. 333 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF/L. Five crewmen were wounded and the boat sustained some damage and reached Bergen later that same day.

On 9 May 1945, U-994 surrendered at Trondheim, Norway. She was later transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland on 29 May 1945. Of the 156 U-boats that eventually surrendered to the Allied forces at the end of the war, U-994 was one of 116 selected to take part in Operation Deadlight. U-994 was towed out on 5 December 1945, but foundered while under tow making her one of 55 other U-boats that sank before reaching the scuttling area.

The wreck is located at 55.83333°N, -8.5°W.