Rheinmetall plans to significantly advance the schedule for Germany’s F126 frigates and aims to deliver a pre-equipped prototype vessel for testing and final completion in early 2028.
This strategy focuses on optimizing production and simplifying certification processes, while maintaining the operational capability of ship-borne systems.
The progress comes amid a transition in which project leadership is expected to pass from Dutch shipyard DAMEN to Rheinmetall. The program has suffered years of delays due to problems transferring design data between countries. According to the company, these technical issues have already been resolved, allowing the German shipyard to speed up production.
If the change of leadership is confirmed after the evaluation phase is completed by the end of April, Rheinmetall could formally take over the contract in the coming weeks. Accordingly, the goal of delivering the first frigate in 2031 is assessed to be feasible if the approval process is streamlined.
Meanwhile, the German government is pursuing a complementary strategy through the MEKO A-200 DEU project led by TKMS, aiming for early delivery starting in 2029. The plan also includes preliminary contracts and additional financial investments, with authorities emphasizing that accelerating the program is essential to meeting its obligations to NATO.
Rheinmetall plans to deliver the prototype of the German F126 to the shipyard for final outfitting in 2028. pic.twitter.com/OLPX5diStS
— International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) March 18, 2026
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Source: Naval News | Photo: This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team
