German Navy

[Sandhi Yudha]

Over the years, German's MCMV-fleet has been cut by 50% from 20 to 10 vessels. But all these budget cuts are not enough for the politicians, the current fleet will not be replaced the coming years.

Abeking&Rasmussen built and delivered this year two new minehunters of an enlarged and modernized variant of the Frankthalklasse to the Indonesian Navy, it is some kind of Frankenthal II class. Having already a new design should make a replacement program much more easier and cheaper.

German MCM Replacement Has Failed, Resulting in Life Extension

The German MCM replacement has failed over cost and capability concerns. A life extension of the existing fleet is to follow.

www.navalnews.com

 

[kato]

Having already a new design should make a replacement program much more easier and cheaper.

The existing Frankenthal class vessels are being upgraded to similar standards.

Notably the budget that BMVg assigned was literally twice per ship what Belgium and the Netherlands are jointly paying for their new MCMV. And those are ships three times the size of the Frankenthal class, equipped with a current-standard layout of USVs and UUVs. And we shouldn't forget in that regard that the NATO CoE for Mine Warfare is in Belgium.

The Navy being unable - or rather unwilling - to come up with a concept satisfying that is who is solely to blame here. Especially considering that 6 billion demand predates the Ukraine War and the sudden money faucet for the Bundeswehr. They knew there was no way they'd get more than those 3.5 billion, and that for good chances of realization they should better seek to approach the Dutch/Belgian project cost. But they insisted on their "gold rim" as we call it in Germany.


Note on the article timeline: The replacement plans started significantly before 2014. Around 2000.

The first idea back then (called MJ2000A) was to go with unmanned minehunters remote-controlled from standoff control ships. That idea may sound familiar. Because that's the core Dutch/Belgian concept. The Navy didn't like that back then either, and MJ2000A was cancelled in 2005. They then got the idea - in 2007 - of reusing parts of MJ2000A in the form of the various UUV concepts from it. One of them was a harbour search drone. Was actually bought around 2013. Another was a long-range mine scanning UUV. Might sound familiar too. First had a budget assigned for 2012. Is being procured now.
Around 2009 they decided to sorta postpone any new ships by instead procuring new systems - UUVs etc - in a "modular" fashion so they could later be re-used on the successor. This was partly because at the time they were unsure what kinda ship they'd need in the future. The 2.8 billion in the budget for a "successor" were earmarked back then in long-term financial planning.

 

[kato]

Also the E-Spatz electric-propulsion station boat for WSV was delivered last week:

E-Spatz vessel Mülheim during her trials in August, immediately before the delivery:

Trials were conducted on a lake in Brandenburg state. Video mostly shows off the vessel, the battery room and trials operations as a towboat with a barge loaded with 85 tons of sand. From commentary she managed to push that at 10 km/h on a single engine "without problems", requirement is 12 km/h using both engines.

What is the maximum range of these electric boats?

From the above video: For solo operations during acceptance trials they only used up 15% of battery capacity in a full day of driving the ship around.

WSV apparently considers these station boats important and publicity worthy enough that Mülheim features both on the front page and a 4-page headline article in their annual report for 2022/2023 just released.

 

[Zoomer]

Hello Kato, 2 questions:
1. How many F126 and U212CD is the German Navy going to buy?
2. When is the first F123 and U212 going to be retired? 2027-28 and 2031-32 respectively?

 

[kato]

4 F126, 2 U212CD currently. Supposedly they're planning to ask the parliament for funding for the two optional F126 sometime in the next 6 months.

As for retirement? Think more like second half of the 2030s.

F123 is planned to finish the MLU they're currently undergoing between 2024 and 2027 depending on ship. The MLU is intended to keep them viable as operational combat units until 2035.

 

[Zoomer]

Ok so, numbers wise, the F127 will replace both F123 and F124 from 2035?
And what are the 5th & 6th F126 going to replace exactly?
Possibly nothing? Or maybe the first 2 F123s?

 

[swerve]

Why does a ship have to replace something? Can't it be an increase in capacity?

 

[kato]

Ok so, numbers wise, the F127 will replace both F123 and F124 from 2035?

The current long-term wishlist is to switch to a setup of 6 F127 + 6 F126 (+3 F125) around 2035+.

Why does a ship have to replace something? Can't it be an increase in capacity?

Not in modern times where every navy has problems finding enough crew numbers for their ships. ;-)

The Bundeswehr always (since the 90s) plans for a fleet of around 15 frigates, partly because that's what they can see as managable to man and operate. Whether they actually have that number is a different thing of course. Currently less as the F122 haven't been replaced numbers-wise.

 

[SiVisPacemParaBellum]

Hello Kato, 2 questions:
1. How many F126 and U212CD is the German Navy going to buy?
2. When is the first F123 and U212 going to be retired? 2027-28 and 2031-32 respectively?

There are 4 F126 on order (with 2 additional F126 to be ordered in the first half of 2024). The first 4 will be delivered between 2028 and 2031 - so the others might follow in 2032 and 2033.
There are 2 212CD on order rn. The navy wants at least 6 with Pistorius (DefMin) announcing 4-6 additional Subs to be ordered in 2025.
I do somehow doubt the sub acquisition in 2025 tho.
It'll also be impacted by an additional norwegian order and a possible dutch, polish or danish order.
The F126 class replaces the F123B (after MLU) class. F123B will serve till the mid 30s (nothing more accurate known so far).
F127 will replace F124 while F125 stays in Service.
There should also be a MLU for the 6 212A (which wasn't announced so far tho) keeping them available till the early 40s.

 

[T.C.P]

Deutsche Marine im Roten Meer: Nur bedingt einsatzfähig?

Der EU-Einsatz der Fregatte "Hessen" im Roten Meer zeigt, dass die deutsche Marine schneller "kriegstüchtig" werden musste, als es sich viele vorgestellt hatten. Doch Wollen ist nicht gleich Können. Wie durchhaltefähig ist die Marine?

www.tagesschau.de

The German ship on Houthi duty is on a full load out, but Germany has no way of fully reloding the ship after it spends its missiles. The article says that Germany has enough stock to partially reload one of the 3 missiles carried on the Hessen. But it does not elaborate further.

The Hessen should carry the Sm-2, ESSm, Harpoons and RIMs.The article mentions 3 types of missiles and since the duty is anti air,I am assuming that they mean the missiles other than harpoons. If Germany has no more SM-2 stock, can they not easily get more from the US through an emergency order?

 

[kato]

If Germany has no more SM-2 stock, can they not easily get more from the US through an emergency order?

The current preorder time for new SM-2 MR is on a scale of 4-5 years, and the assembly line - at least it's currently running... - is booked until end of 2026.

ESSM will not be bought since all new frigates switch to ESSM Block 2. What will remain of ESSM Block 1 in stocks (currently for F124) will be shifted to F123 once they're out of their MLU.

RAM should be in stocks in sufficient numbers (couple hundred).

 

[kato]

F125 Frigate Baden-Württemberg and A702 AOR Frankfurt am Main have set sail for this year's Indo-Pacific Deployment (IPD24).

Baden-Württemberg is starting from Rota in Spain as she has already been deployed with UNIFIL since last October and spent a few weeks in the NATO base between deployments to prepare. The ship also carries a Seebataillon naval infantry platoon during the deployment; both ships together have about 380 men and women onboard.

This time the deployment takes a western route and basically goes around the globe; after meeting up the two ships will cross the Atlantic for exercises with the Canadian Navy and US Navy. Early June it's planned to cross through the Panama canal into the Pacific.

The deployment will take until December 2024, by which time Baden-Württemberg will have been deployed away from home for 14 months consecutively - and this is on her first actual deployment cruise.

Unlike last time they're not publishing an exact route. China protested against a possible Taiwan Straits crossing already just in case.

It's planned that the two ships will take part in:

• RIMPAC.
• embargo blockades against North Korea.
• EU coordinated maritime presence in northwest Indian Ocean (activation of joint German-French flotilla).

There are planned training stints en-route e.g. in India.

In parallel there will be an Air Force deployment around the globe ("Pacific Skies") between June and August. This will be together with Spain and France, and will involve 42 (!) aircraft moving together - 12 Eurofighter, 12 Tornado, 4 Rafale, 7 A400M and 7 A330 MRTT plus 4 H145 carried onboard; 75% of these aircraft will come from the Luftwaffe.

The Air Force deployment will do joint training for 1-2 weeks each in Alaska, Japan and India and take part in exercises in Alaska (Arctic Defender), Australia (Pitch Black) and Hawaii (RIMPAC). The RIMPAC participation is coordinated with the Navy. If arriving in time they'll also take part in exercises in India (Tarang Shakti 1). There's additionally planned visit by A400M of the group in New Zealand and stopovers for the group planned in Canada, Malaysia and Jordan.

The Army is so far not really taking part in the Indo-Pacific Deployment strategy. There will be ground troops deployed for joint exercises with the JGSDF to Japan in 2025 though, announced last months.

 

[kato]

The 5th and 6th Niedersachsen class (F126) frigates have been ordered. Planned delivery in 2033-2034.

Including an "inflation surcharge" Damen is charging 1.55 billion Euro per ship.

 

[kato]

The second (used) ocean tug alongside "Rügen" has been procured.

It's the 70m-long AHT "Britoil Guardian". She's only two years old. Will be renamed "Borkum", planned rebuilding for military purposes mid-2025.

 

[kato]

The first of the three new large multi-purpose ships for WSV was launched July 15th in Klaipeda, Lithuania:

The second of the ships, Mellum, was launched in Klaipeda August 12th.

Full video of the launch:

That shipyard is located less than 50 km from the Russian border btw.

Not sure whether she has been transferred to A&R's shipyard in Cuxhaven yet, doubt it though for lack of publicity. The first ship, Scharhörn, arrived in Cuxhaven three weeks after her launch.

 

[swerve]

Klaipeda - what used to be called Memel, when it was part of the German Empire, Prussia, & the lands of the Teutonic Knights.

 

[kato]

Transferred to French administration in 1920 due to the Versailles Treaty. Annexed from France through occupation in the "Klaipeda Revolt" by Lithuania in 1923, supposedly with underhanded support from either Germany or the German Reichswehr to strengthen Lithuania against Poland. Subsequently autonomous territory within Lithuania as per stipulation of the League of Nations until this status was removed by the authoritarian Lithuanian government in 1926 using martial law for suppression - they ruled like that until lifting martial law in 1938.

Re-annexed by Germany in March 1939 under threat of war, or rather bombardment of the Lithuanian capital (i.e. before WW2,. shortly after the German annexation of Bohemia and Moravia). Factually depopulated by Germany due to evacuation in 1944 and after occupation by the Red Army in January 1945 and assignment to the Lithuanian Soviet Republic resettled mostly by Lithuanians in 1945-1947.

At least that's the German interpretation of the recent history of the Memelland. Fairly sure Lithuanians have some diverting opinions on that.

 

[kato]

Another ship launched for the Coastguard two weeks ago:

Fr. Fassmer GmbH & Co. KG auf LinkedIn: Meilenstein erreicht: Unser LNG-Mehrzweckschiff für die Zollbehörde… | 22 Kommentare

Meilenstein erreicht: Unser LNG-Mehrzweckschiff für die Zollbehörde wurde erfolgreich zu Wasser gelassen! Nach sorgfältiger Vorbereitung und guter… | 22 Kommentare auf LinkedIn

de.linkedin.com

(with video)

Fassmer has launched "Rügen", a 67m long new patrol ship for German Customs. Will be the largest ship for the service. Delivery is planned for end of the year.

The ship was ordered only five months ago.

Pretty standard design, no helicopter deck (hoist deck forward of bridge), no armament (will probably get 1-2 MGs though). Davit for launching a larger RHIB for boarding purposes, will also be provided by Fassmer. Propulsion will be LNG. Relatively large for the purpose as it is planned for longer patrols in the Baltic Sea. Homeport will be Mukran on Rügen Island.

Presumably the ship will replace the 1988-built 38m customs cruiser "Schleswig-Holstein", the current "flagship" of the customs service (despite there being larger ones) and - since 2010 - the main offshore customs patrol ship for the Baltic Sea.

 

[kato]

IPD24 with frigate Baden-Württemberg and AOR Frankfurt am Main will make stops in Jakarta and Singapore end of this month (planned Sep 30th and Oct 2nd respectively).
Currently the two ships are somewhere between Japan and South Korea with arrival planned in Incheon on Sep 6th.

Unlike other legs of the trip for the one from Incheon to Jakarta (via Manila) the Navy is not allowing media teams onboard.

 

[kato]

Somehow the ship class has grown again and according to WSV is now 105m long and 20m wide with a maximum draft of 6.1m.

That growth also resulted in a re-evaluation of displacement by the way. Displacement was multiple times in the past stated at 7,000 tons.

To keep that the 7,000 tons have by now been declared to be their standard displacement at 5.5m draft. Full load displacement at 6.1m maximum draft is probably somewhere around 8,000 to 8,200 tons.