The German navy plans to increase the number of F127 frigates from five to eight units, for a budget estimated at $ 30.42 billion, including weapons systems.
These ships, designed for air defense and, for the first time, with a capacity for interception of ballistic missiles, will be built by the joint venture formed by TKMS and NVL. The command system will be based on the Aegis of Lockheed Martin, with Raytheon’s Spy-6 radar.
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The sources indicate that the final decision concerning the main sensor has already been signed, but it could be revised if the United States requires participation in development costs.
At the same time, the F126 frigate program, oriented towards the anti-submarine war, encounters significant delays due to software problems in the Dutch contractor Damen. Three options are under discussion: continue with Damen, cancel the project or take the German management. Another suggested alternative is to maintain the F126 project while adopting a provisional solution, with the possibility of transferring main responsibility to NVL, thus guaranteeing the exploitation of investments already made and the involvement of subcontractors such as Thales.
As a temporary measure, the navy could order Meko 200 frigates in TKMS to preserve the anti-submarine capacity during the transition. These ships have faster production, lower costs and operational flexibility, which can even operate in the Arctic.
However, the simultaneous acquisition of F126 and Meko 200 is considered improbable, and the final decision on the future of F126 should be made soon so that the fleet reaches its operational preparation in the coming years, also benefiting the shipyards involved.
Source : Naval News | Photo: x @Visionergeo | This content was created with the help of the AI and revised by the editorial team
🇩🇪 The German Navy plans to significantly expand its fleet by extending the contract for the purchase of new domestic F127-class frigates.
It is reported that initially five new ships were planned to be acquired, but now the discussion is about purchasing eight, with an… pic.twitter.com/kymB2KQmr4
– Visions (@VisionEGEO) September 24, 2025
