German Navy orders 4 Class 125 Frigates
Koblenz, 06/29/2007.
The conduct of stabilization operations belongs to the new capability profile of the German Navy. The class 125 frigate has been specially designed for this purpose.
On 26 June 2007 in Koblenz, the Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) signed the order for the construction of four class 125 frigates. The contract was awarded to ARGE F125, an industrial consortium formed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Fr. Lürssen Werft. The acceptance of the first ship is scheduled for the year 2014.
The new frigates’ tasks will focus on stabilization operations. The threat spectrum expected in this context ranges from militarily organized to asymmetric enemy forces. The ships are particularly geared towards extended multinational and joint operations worldwide. Therefore, the F125 frigates shall allow a deployment time of one to two years as well as the on-site change of a 120 crew.
Furthermore, the F125 will provide accommodation and transportation facilities for special forces. In order to support a command element, the units will be equipped with various command and control means like LINK 11/16/22 and satellite communication. The MCCIS (Maritime Command and Control Information System) will provide a wide-area operational picture.
The frigate is planned to be armed mainly with a 127-mm gun for anti-surface warfare and naval gunfire support, the RAM weapon system for self-protection against missiles, aircraft and helicopters as well as several small calibre guns against asymmetric threats. The sensor systems include a Phased Array Radar for maritime and airspace surveillance and various electro-optical systems for very short range surveillance.
“With its special focus on stabilization operations, the F125 weapon system is a new type of ship“, said Dieter Prange, head of the Project Division “Sea“ within the BWB, adding that the realization of this weapon system was a challenge for all those involved in the project, particularly in view of the long deployment periods and the limited crew size.
