Free Republic

ARGE F125/Lerssen-Defence Just weeks ago we told the story of Germany's puzzling Baden-Wurttemberg class Type 125 (F125) frigate program. Not only did we discuss the ship's odd mission and design features, but we also highlighted some of the troubling post-delivery issues with the lead ship in the class. These problems include a persistent list to starboard and the fact that the ship is dramatically overweight, which would limit its performance, increase its cost of operation, and most importantly, negatively impact the Deutsche Marine's ability to add future upgrades to the somewhat sparsely outfitted vessel. Now the German Navy has officially...

Germany's much-delayed new frigates, built by ThyssenKrupp (TKAG.DE) and Luerssen for at least 650 million euros (£551.4 million) apiece, are overweight and float with a persistent list to starboard, according to a confidential report seen by Reuters. The ships, designed to need a crew of only 120, less than half their predecessors, are a crucial element in Germany's plans to beef up its military to face an increasingly uncertain European security landscape and a more assertive Russia. Designed to remain at sea for far longer than the German armed forces' existing fleet, the new F125 frigates need extensive servicing only...

German Navy’s (Deutsche Marine) first F125 frigate has begun sea trials on 6 April. The “Baden-Württemberg” has sailed from the shipyard in Hamburg to Cuxhaven. With a crew of 60 men and women, the vessel will assume a series of tests for the systems, subsystems and weapons of the platform. The F125 frigate "Baden-Württemberg" at sea (source: 2016 Bunde Wehr / Alexander Gottschalk) The F125-class frigates are built by ARGE F125 consortium, lead by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and supplemented by Blohm + Voss, Nordsweerke and Lurssen Werft. A total of four vessels will be built for the German Navy. The...