The German Navy is part of the unified Bundeswehr, the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the Bundesmarine from 1956 to 1995, when Deutsche Marine became the official name with respect to the 1990 incorporation of the East German Volksmarine. It is deeply integrated into the NATO alliance. Its primary mission is protection of Germany's territorial waters and maritime infrastructure as well as sea lines of communication. Apart from this, the German Navy participates in peacekeeping operations, and renders humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. It also participates in anti-piracy operations.
Blohm+Voss (B+V), also written historically as Blohm & Voss, Blohm und Voß etc., is a German shipbuilding and engineering company. Founded in Hamburg in 1877 to specialise in steel-hulled ships, its most famous product was the World War II battleship Bismarck. In the 1930s, its owners established the Hamburger Flugzeugbau aircraft manufacturer which, shortly before the outbreak of World War II, adopted the name of its parent company. Following a difficult period after the war, B+V was revived, changing ownership among several owners, as Thyssen Group and Star Capital. In 2016, it became a subsidiary of Lürssen and continues to supply both the military and civilian markets. It serves two areas – new construction of warships as NVL B.V. & Co. KG, and new construction and refitting of megayachts. The company has been in operation, building ships and other large machinery, almost continuously for 147 years.
E-boat was the Western Allies' designation for the fast attack craft of the Kriegsmarine during World War II; E-boat could refer to a patrol craft from an armed motorboat to a large Torpedoboot. The name of E-boats was a British designation using the letter E for Enemy.
The K130 Braunschweig class is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. Five ships have replaced the Gepard-class fast attack craft of the German Navy.
The Type 702 Berlin-class replenishment ship is a series of replenishment ships, originally designed and built for service in the German Navy. Designed to support United Nations overseas missions, the Berlin class were initially to number four vessels. However, three hulls were cut from the initial order. The lead ship, Berlin, began construction in 1999 and entered service in 2001. The second hull, Frankfurt am Main, was re-ordered in 1998, began construction in 2000 and entered service in 2002. The third hull, Bonn, was ordered in 2008 to a modified design, began construction in 2010 and entered service in 2013. All three ships are in service and are based at Wilhelmshaven.
The Type 101 Hamburg class was the only class of destroyers built during post-war Germany. They were specifically designed to operate in the Baltic Sea, where armament and speed is more important than seaworthiness. They were named after Bundesländer of West Germany.
The Type 423 Oste class are purpose built signals intelligence (SIGINT/ELINT) and reconnaissance ships of the German Navy. Officially designated as "fleet service ships", they replaced the Type 422 class.
Lürssen is a German shipyard with headquarters in Bremen-Vegesack and shipbuilding facilities in Lemwerder, Berne and Bremen-Fähr-Lobbendorf.
The Type 704 Rhön-class tankers are a series of replenishment oilers used by the German Navy to provide underway replenishment for its ships at sea. The two vessels in the class, Rhön and Spessart, were originally constructed for Libya by Kröger Shipyard in Rendsburg, West Germany as bulk acid carriers. They were acquired by the West German Navy in 1976 for conversion and entered service in 1977. The two ships are crewed by civilians. In 2019 it was announced by the German Navy that the ships are planned to be replaced in 2024.
The F125 Baden-Württemberg-class frigates are a series of frigates of the German Navy, which were designed and constructed by ARGE F125, a joint-venture of Thyssen-Krupp and Lürssen. The Baden-Württemberg class is the heaviest displacement of any class of frigates worldwide. They replaced the F122 Bremen class. They are primarily designed for low and medium intensity maritime stabilization operations, where they are supposed to provide sea-to-land tactical fire support, asymmetric threat control at sea and support of special forces.
The Type 140 Jaguar-class fast attack craft is an evolution of the German torpedo boats (E-boats) of World War II. The design was developed by Lürssen and designated Schnellboot 55. The 20 boats that were built for the German Navy were in service from 1957 to 1975. Then the Jaguar-class boats were replaced in service with the Bundesmarine by the Tiger class.
Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft is a German shipbuilding company located in Flensburg. The company trades as Flensburger and is commonly abbreviated FSG.
Einsatzflottille 1 is one of the three brigade-level units of the German Navy, in addition to Einsatzflottille 2 and the Naval Air Command. It is based in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, and is under the head of the Navy Command, based in Rostock.
F126 or Niedersachsen-class frigate is a planned German frigate class intended to replace the F123 Brandenburg-class frigates in the German Navy. The ships are to be the largest surface warships to join the German Navy since World War II. The first ship, Niedersachsen, is planned to be commissioned in 2028, with Saarland, Bremen, and Thüringen to follow. On 8 April 2024, Germany exercised their option and purchased an additional two frigates. The contract for two additional F126 frigates was signed on 19 June 2024.
Frankfurt am Main (A1412) is the second ship of the Berlin-class replenishment ships of the German Navy. Ordered in 1997, the vessel was constructed in Hamburg by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and was launched on 5 January 2001. Frankfurt am Main was commissioned on 27 May 2002 and is currently in service.
Köln(F265) is the sixth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.
Peene-Werft is a German shipyard with headquarter and shipbuilding facilities in Wolgast. It has been part of the Bremen Lürssen Group since May 2013.
The Type 424 fleet service ship is a new class of three signals intelligence (SIGINT/ELINT) and reconnaissance ships for the German Navy. Officially designated as "fleet service ships", they will replace the Oste class, which has been in service since the late 1980s.
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