German Navy commissioned second new generation frigate
The Germany Navy announced the introduction of the second F125 class frigate Nord Rhein-Westfalen on Wednesday, June 10, at a ceremony at the naval base in Wilhelmshaven.
“After an intensive and successful test phase, the crew is looking forward to being able to demonstrate the huge potential of this ship in real marine conditions,” said the captain Stefan Schulz, frigate commander.
Nord Rhein-Westfalen was originally planned to be transferred to the German fleet in 2018, but after problems that arose during testing the first frigate of this type, Baden-Württemberg (it was commissioned more than a year late in the summer of 2019), the completion of construction was postponed at a later date.
The German Ministry of Defense (MoD) in 2011 ordered the consortium ARGE F125, combining the German shipbuilding companies ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Lürssen , four frigates of the new generation. They will replace eight Bremen class frigates, of which only one is now in service – the Lübeck, commissioned in 1990.
According to CEO of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Rolf Wierz, until the end of 2020 the consortium will transfer the third frigate Saxony-Anhalt to the German Navy, it is already undergoing tests. The completion of the construction and testing of the fourth ship of the Rhineland-Palatinate series is expected in 2021.
Displacement of F125 class frigates is 7200 tons, hull length is 149.5 meters, width is 18.8 meters, draft is 5 meters. Gas turbine power plant allows ships to reach speeds of up to 26 knots. Cruising range – 4000 miles. Due to the high automation, the crew of the frigate is only 126 people. Possible additional placement on board more than 60 marines.
Nord Rhein-Westfalen is armed with a 127-mm gun mount of the Italian group Leonardo , two 27-mm anti-aircraft MLG 27 artillery systems, anti-ship RGM-84 Harpoon missiles with a range of over 220 km, air defense systems, five 12.7-mm machine guns and two 324 mm three-tube torpedo tubes. Also on board are two multi-purpose NH90 helicopters and four rigid-hull inflatable boats of the RIB type.
