German defence technology company Rheinmetall has unveiled concept images of a new guided-missile frigate developed to meet the evolving operational requirements of NATO and allied navies.
Each example of the class will have a length of 140 metres, a displacement of more than 6,000 tonnes, and armament for air and ballistic missile defence, anti-submarine warfare and long-range strike.
Rheinmetall said the design is optimised for blue-water operations while retaining the flexibility to support expeditionary, littoral and coalition missions.
The frigate will be able to integrate US-sourced primary radar options to provide exceptional detection, tracking and engagement performance against conventional air threats, hypersonic weapons and ballistic missiles. These will include the Aegis combat system and 64 "strike-length" vertical launch system cells, "capable of employing the complete family of modern air defence, ballistic missile defence and land-attack missiles," said Rheinmetall.
The vessel can also be offered with other combat management systems such as the Lockheed Martin CMS330.
The design will also incorporate a low-signature hull, integrated acoustic management, hull-mounted and towed sonar systems, advanced sonar systems, and support for embarked maritime US or European helicopters and unmanned systems.
