The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag recently gave its approval for the construction of new F127 air defence frigates for the German Navy.
The ships will be built as part of a €21 billion (US$22 billion) acquisition plan, which also calls for the construction of four Type 212CD submarines.
Naval shipbuilders Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and the NVL Group will establish a joint venture with the aim of developing the new frigates. The design work on the ships will primarily be undertaken by TKMS while NVL will be responsible for construction.
TKMS said the F127 design extends existing capability profiles with an improved energy supply for future weapon and command systems. In addition, a new type of hull will offer more space for the installation of missiles and a higher cruising speed for multinational task forces. This means that the new frigate type can be equipped with a combination of new defence missile types to combat threats from the air and engage several targets simultaneously at previously unreachable distances using long-range missiles.
At the same time, the frigates can also be used against sea and land targets as well as for anti-submarine warfare. Equipping the ships with systems that meet NATO requirements will also ensure integration and cooperation in NATO’s transatlantic strategy.