German Navy orders two additional F126 frigates

The Procurement Organisation of the German Armed Forces has entered into an agreement for the construction of two additional F126 multi-purpose frigates for the German Navy. These ships will be the fifth and sixth in the F126 series, which is otherwise known as the Niedersachsen-class.

The first frigate in the class is due to be delivered in 2028. Ships five and six will be delivered in 2033 and 2034, respectively.

The construction of the two additional F126 frigates will also take place entirely in Germany. In the coming months, work will begin in parallel at the German Naval Yards Kiel shipyard and at the Blohm and Voss NVL site in Hamburg. The stern will be built at the Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, while the foreship will be manufactured in Kiel and joined to the stern there. The vessels will then be shipped to Hamburg for final outfitting, commissioning, and testing.

With a length of 166 metres and a displacement of up to 10,000 tonnes, the F126 frigates will be the largest surface combatants in the German Navy. The vessels will be able to operate all over the world and in all conditions, from the tropics to the polar regions.