Tag Archives: Baden-Württemberg-class

Navy

Rheinland-Pfalz

On January 28, 2022 ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems handed over the frigate «RHEINLAND-PFALZ» to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) in Hamburg. With that, all four ships of the F125 class, which ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems built together with the NVL Group in the ARGE F125 consortium, have been successfully delivered.

Rheinland-Pfalz (F225)
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems hands over frigate «RHEINLAND-PFALZ»

The ship was handed over to the BAAINBw, represented by the Head of the Acceptance Commission, Matthias Rohde, and the responsible project manager at the BAAINBw, Marc Steffens, during a ceremony in Hamburg, which was kept low profile due to the pandemic. On behalf of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Programme Manager Patrick Buggenthin signed the handover papers. Representing ARGE, Chief Executive Officer Doctor Rolf Wirtz said: «We have now delivered all of the type F125 ships. The other three vessels are already in the in-service phase and have since proven their technical capabilities and reliability. We are convinced that the fourth vessel, the «RHEINLAND-PFALZ», will also be successful. We wish the ship and crew ‘fair winds and following seas’. Full operational readiness of all ships for the German Navy remains our most important goal. On behalf of all employees, I would like to express my gratitude for the trust placed in us. At the same time, I would like to thank all our industry partners for their support and for what has been achieved. In our view, the innovative and highly complex ships of this class make an important contribution to a navy equipped for the future. We look forward to continuing the good cooperation with the German Navy».

The first ship of the F125 class is scheduled to enter service in mid-2023. In order to create the necessary conditions for this phase, a comprehensive support contract regarding the Technical Logistic Support (TLS) for the F125 frigates was concluded between ARGE F125 and the BAAINBw at the end of last year.

The completely redesigned vessels of the F125 class have highly complex systems and around 28,000 sensors that enable a very high degree of automation, making it possible to reduce the required number of crew members by about half compared to previous frigate classes. Moreover, the ships can remain in their theatre of operations for up to two years. Besides the traditional tasks of national and alliance defence, they are designed for conflict prevention and crisis management as well as for intervention and stabilization operations in an international context. In addition to the ability to engage targets both on land and on water, they are equipped with air defence systems and helicopters.

The contract for the construction of the four frigates became effective in June 2007. The concept, design and detailed design phases followed. Around 90 percent of the highly complex systems on board the F125 were developed specifically for this new type of ship.

ARGE F125 comprises ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems as the lead company and the Bremen-based NVL Group (formerly Lürssen Defence). The pre-fitted bow sections were produced at the shipyards of the NVL Group in Bremen and in Wolgast on the Baltic Sea. Construction of the stern sections, the joining of the two vessel halves, further fitting-out, commissioning and trials all took place at the NVL shipyard Blohm+Voss in Hamburg.

 

Principal data of the F125

Length 149 m/489 feet
Beam 18 m/59 feet
Maximum speed > 26 knots/30 mph/48 km/h
Displacement approximately 7,200 t
Complement maximum 190 persons (of which 126 are regular crew)

 

Navy

Sachsen-Anhalt

On March 30, 2021, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TK MS) handed over the frigate Sachsen-Anhalt (F224) to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) in Wilhelmshaven. It is the third of a total of four ships of the Type F125 which TK MS is building in the ARGE F125 consortium together with the Fr. Lürssen Shipyard.

Sachsen-Anhalt (F224)
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems hands over frigate Sachsen-Anhalt (F224)

The ship was handed over to the BAAINBw, represented by the Head of the Acceptance Commission, Matthias Rohde and the responsible project manager at the BAAINBw, Marc Steffens, during a ceremony in Wilhelmshaven, which was kept small in view of the pandemic. On behalf of TK MS, Programme Manager Patrick Buggenthin signed the handover papers.

Chief Operating Officer Doctor Alexander Orellano, who was present, commented: «We have already delivered two ships that have since proven their technical capabilities. We are convinced that the third vessel, the Sachsen-Anhalt (F224), will also be successful. We wish her “fair winds and following seas”. Full operational readiness of all ships for the German Navy remains our most important goal. On behalf of all employees, I would like to express my gratitude for the trust placed in us. We look forward to continued good teamwork».

The last ship of the F125 series, the Rheinland-Pfalz (F225), is to be handed over this year.

The completely redesigned vessels of the Type F125 have highly complex systems and around 28,000 sensors that enable a very high degree of automation, making it possible to reduce the required number of crew members by about half compared to previous frigate classes. The ships can remain in the operational area for up to two years. Besides the traditional tasks of national and alliance defence, they are designed for conflict prevention and crisis management as well as for intervention and stabilization operations in an international context. In addition to the ability to engage targets both on land and on water, they are equipped with air defence systems and helicopters.

The contract for the construction of the four frigates became effective in June 2007. The concept, design and detailed design phases followed. Around 90 percent of the highly complex systems on board the F125 were developed specifically for this new type of ship.

ARGE F125 comprises ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems as the lead company together with the Bremen-based Lürssen shipyard. The pre-fitted bow sections were produced at the shipyards of the Lürssen Group in Bremen and in Wolgast on the Baltic Sea. Construction of the stern sections, the joining of the two vessel halves, further fitting-out, commissioning and testing all took place at the Lürssen location Blohm+Voss in Hamburg.

 

Principal data of the F125

Length 489 feet/149 m
Beam 59 feet/18 m
Maximum speed 26 knots/30 mph/48 km/h
Displacement approximately 7,200 t
Complement maximum 190 (of which 126 are regular crew)

 

Navy

Nordrhein-Westfalen

On June 10, 2020, the Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223) was officially commissioned – due to the current corona pandemic, the ceremony took place on a small scale. The Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223) is the second out of a total of four frigates after the Baden-Württemberg (F222) to become available to the German Navy. The ships are the most modern and powerful frigates ever built in Germany.

Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223): Germany’s most modern frigate put into service

With their highly complex systems and around 28,000 sensors, the completely redesigned F125 class ships feature a very high degree of automation, making it possible to halve the crew size compared to previous frigate classes. The ships can remain in their operational area for up to two years. This will considerably reduce the number of otherwise very long transit journeys. The Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223) successfully implements the intensive use concept, just like the Baden-Württemberg (F222), which has been in service since June 2019.

In addition to the traditional tasks of national and alliance defence, the ships are designed for conflict prevention and crisis management as well as for intervention and stabilization operations on an international scale. Alongside their capability to engage targets on land and water, they also have air defence systems and helicopters specially equipped for submarine hunting.

The contract for the construction of the four frigates entered into force in June 2007. This was followed by the concept, design and detailed construction phase. Around 90 percent of the highly complex systems on board the F125 were newly developed specifically for this type of ship.

After the Baden-Württemberg (F222) and the Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223), the Sachsen-Anhalt and (F224) the Rheinland-Pfalz (F225) will follow in 2021 according to current plans. The new F125 class is named after the first ship and is therefore called the Baden-Württemberg class.

ARGE F125 was formed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems as lead company and the Bremen-based Fr. Lürssen shipyard. The fore ships with corresponding pre-fitting were built at the Lürssen Group’s shipyard sites in Bremen and Wolgast. The production of the stern ships, the assembly of the ship halves, the further final outfitting as well as the commissioning and testing were carried out under the leadership of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg.

 

Principal data of the F125

Length 149 m/489 feet
Beam 18 m/59 feet
Maximum speed > 26 knots/30 mph/48 km/h
Displacement approximately 7,200 t
Complement maximum 190 persons (of which 126 are regular crew)

 

Navy

Nordrhein-Westfalen

On 3 March 2020, the frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223) was handed over by the ARGE F125 consortium to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). Following the delivery, the «complete prerequisites for the operability of the ship» will be provided by the Navy and the future crew will receive further training on board. The Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223) is the second of four class F125 vessels being built for the German Navy under the leadership of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. The lead ship of the frigate class F125, the Baden-Württemberg (F222), was handed over at the end of April 2019 and put into service in June 2019. The third unit [Sachsen-Anhalt (F224)] is slated for delivery this year and the fourth [Rheinland-Pfalz (F225)] in 2021.

ARGE F125 hands over second frigate of class F125 to Germany’s procurement agency

Rolf Wirtz, CEO of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems: «The F125 is the most modern frigate in Germany and one of the most modern frigates in the world. Here we are implementing the concept of intensive use for the first time. This is unique worldwide. We are proud to make a significant contribution to the operational capability of our Navy and the defence of our country with these ships».

The acceptance ceremony took place at the naval base in Wilhelmshaven. The ship had arrived there the day before from the shipyard in Hamburg. On board the Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223), representatives of the F125 consortium and the Federal Office signed the acceptance documents. The Federal Office in Koblenz was represented by project manager Marc Steffens and the Head of the Acceptance Commission, Wolfgang Lotz, while ARGE project manager Christian Rogge from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems represented the industry. Delegates from the German Navy also took part in the acceptance ceremony.

By implementing the intensive use concept, class F125 ships can remain in the operational area for up to two years. This can considerably reduce the number of otherwise very long transit journeys. The completely redesigned vessels have highly complex systems and around 28,000 sensors that enable a very high degree of automation. This made it possible to reduce the required number of crew members by about half compared to previous frigate classes. Around 90 percent of the systems on board the frigates were newly developed specifically for this type of ship.

Besides the traditional tasks of national and alliance defence, the ships are designed especially for conflict prevention and crisis management as well as for intervention and stabilization operations in an international context. In addition to the ability to engage targets on both land and water, they also have air defence systems and helicopters specially equipped for submarine hunting.

ARGE F125 comprises ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems as the lead company and the Bremen based Fr. Lürssen shipyard. The pre-fitted bow sections were produced at the shipyards of the Lürssen Group in Bremen and in Wolgast on the Baltic Sea. Construction of the stern sections, the joining of the two vessel halves, further fitting-out, commissioning and testing all took place at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg under the direction of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

 

Principal data of the F125

Length 149 m/489 feet
Beam 18 m/59 feet
Maximum speed > 26 knots/30 mph/48 km/h
Displacement approximately 7,200 t
Complement maximum 190 persons (of which 126 are regular crew)