The German Navy christened the Lübeck on April 29, the final vessel in the second batch of five K130-class corvettes. The ship measures approximately 89 metres and was named at the Blohm+Voss site in Hamburg during a ceremony attended by military and political officials.
The K130 consortium, led by Rheinmetall’s Naval Systems division alongside TKMS and German Naval Yards Kiel, designed the units for reconnaissance and anti-surface warfare.
Rheinmetall remarked that the corvettes are particularly suited for operations within the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
Tim Wagner, Chief Executive Officer of Rheinmetall’s Naval Systems division, said that the naming of the final corvette represents an important stage in the overall project. Rheinmetall noted that the focus has turned to upcoming milestones, including the scheduled delivery of the Emden and Köln later this year.
The Lübeck will undergo final outfitting in Hamburg followed by functional testing and acceptance procedures in coordination with the German Navy. Rheinmetall confirmed these procedures involve the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support of the German Armed Forces.
Jan Lindenau, Mayor of Lübeck, remarked, “that the corvette bears the name of our city is both an honour and a sign of the close ties with our armed forces.”
