Germany's military is preparing to purchase at least three MEKO A-200 class frigates from German warship builder TKMS, each of which comes with a price tag of around €1 billion ($1.17 billion), according to sources familiar with the project.
The sources told Reuters that the German parliament has been notified of a preliminary agreement, and a formal purchase contract is also being prepared within the government.
TKMS could deliver the first frigate by 2029, as requested by the military, with the successive deliveries arriving within less than a year, according to the sources.
The budget committee last year approved €7.8 billion for an alternative procurement strategy after a years-long delay in the purchase of the originally planned F126 frigates.
Industry publication Hartpunkt first reported the plans.
Germany's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Markus Wacket, writing by Miranda Murray, editing by Thomas Seythal)
