German corvette Karlsruhe

Last updated
BRAUNSCHWEIG 3012.JPG
Braunschweig-class corvette
History
Naval Ensign of Germany.svgGermany
NameKarlsruhe
Namesake Karlsruhe
OrderedSeptember 2017
Builder Lürssen-Werft, Bremen
Cost€400 million
Laid down6 October 2020
Identification Pennant number: F267
StatusUnder construction
General characteristics
Type Braunschweig-class corvette
Displacement1,840 tonnes (1,810 long tons)
Length89.12 m (292 ft 5 in)
Beam13.28 m (43 ft 7 in)
Draft3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion2 MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 diesel engines producing 14.8MW, driving two controllable-pitch propellers.
Speed26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range4,000  nmi (7,400 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) [1]
Endurance7 days; 21 days with tender
Complement65 : 1 commander, 10 officers, 16 chief petty officers, 38 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carriedHelicopter pad and hangar for two Saab Skeldar

Karlsruhe(F267) is the eighth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

Contents

Developments

The K130 Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. Five ships have replaced the Gepard-class fast attack craft of the German Navy.

They feature reduced radar and infrared signatures ("stealth" beyond the Sachsen-class frigates) and will be equipped with two helicopter UAVs for remote sensing. Recently, the German Navy ordered a first batch of two UMS Skeldar V-200 systems for the use on the Braunschweig-class corvettes. [2] The hangar is too small for standard helicopters, but the pad is large enough for Sea Kings, Lynx, or NH-90s, the helicopters of the German Navy.

The German Navy has ordered the RBS-15 Mk4 in advance, which will be a future development of the Mk3 with increased range —400 km (250 mi)— and a dual seeker for increased resistance to electronic countermeasures. [3] The RBS-15 Mk3 has the capability to engage land targets. [4]

In October 2016 it was announced that a second batch of five more frigates is to be procured from 2022 to 2025. [5] The decision was in response to NATO requirements expecting Germany to provide a total of four corvettes at the highest readiness level for littoral operations by 2018, and with only five corvettes just two can be provided. [6]

In September 2017, the German Navy commissioned the construction of five more corvettes in a consortium of North German shipyards. Lürssen will be the main contractor in the production of the vessels. The contract is worth around 2 billion euros. [7] [8] In April 2018, the German government announced the specific arrangements under which the five new K130s would be built. [9] [10]

Construction and career

Karlsruhe's construction started in 2020 and later laid down on 6 October 2020 by Lürssen-Werft in Bremen. In September 2022 it was reported that increasing difficulties in integrating the command and control systems for the Batch 2 ships had resulted in a cost growth of 401 million Euros and at least a two year delay for the completion of the lead Batch 2 vessel, and potentially cascading delays for the next two ships in the Batch 2 program (including Karlsruhe) as well. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Navy</span> Maritime warfare branch of Germanys military

The German Navy is the navy of Germany and 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blohm+Voss</span> German shipbuilding and engineering company

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MEKO</span> Family of warships

The MEKO family of warships was developed by the German company Blohm+Voss. MEKO is a registered trademark. The portmanteau stands for "Mehrzweck-Kombination". It is a concept in modern naval shipbuilding based on modularity of armament, electronics and other equipment, aiming at ease of maintenance and cost reduction.

SAS <i>Amatola</i>

SAS Amatola (F145) is the first of four Valour-class frigates for the South African Navy by the European South African Corvette Consortium.

<i>Braunschweig</i>-class corvette Stealth warship class of the German Navy

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RBS 15</span> Swedish air or surface to surface missile

The RBS 15 is a long-range fire-and-forget surface-to-surface and air-to-surface anti-ship missile. The later version Mk. IV has the ability to attack land targets as well. The missile was developed by the Swedish company Saab Bofors Dynamics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lürssen</span> German shipbuilding company

Lürssen is a German shipyard with headquarters in Bremen-Vegesack and shipbuilding facilities in Lemwerder, Berne and Bremen-Fähr-Lobbendorf.

<i>Baden-Württemberg</i>-class frigate Series of frigates of the German Navy

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 have replaced the 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.

<i>Espora</i>-class corvette

The Espora-class corvettes are six warships of the Argentine Navy built in Argentina to the German MEKO 140A16 design, this in turn being based on the Portuguese João Coutinho-class project. The first entered service in 1985 but accidents and lack of funds meant the last was not completed until 2004. The ships currently form the 2nd Corvette Division of the Argentine Navy and their home port is the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base. Although considered by its designers to be frigates, the Espora-class vessels have been classed in Argentina as corvettes.

F126 frigate Planned class of German Navy frigates

F126 or Saarland-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, Saarland, is planned to be commissioned in 2028, with Niedersachsen, Bremen, and Thüringen to follow. On 8 April 2024, Germany exercised their option and purchased an additional two frigates.

German corvette <i>Braunschweig</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Braunschweig(F260) is the lead ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Magdeburg</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Magdeburg(F261) is the second ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Erfurt</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Erfurt(F262) is the third ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Oldenburg</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Oldenburg(F263) is the fourth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Ludwigshafen am Rhein</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Ludwigshafen am Rhein(F264) is the fifth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Köln</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Köln(F265) is the sixth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Emden</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Emden(F266) is the seventh ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Lübeck</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Lübeck(F269) is the tenth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

German corvette <i>Augsburg</i> Braunschweig-class corvette

Augsburg is the ninth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvettes of the German Navy.

References

  1. "Corvette Braunschweig Handed Over" (Press release). ThyssenKrupp AG. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  2. BAAINBw Procures New Helicopter Drones for the Navy, Baainbw, 27 September 2018, retrieved 2 March 2019.
  3. "de:Neue Aufgaben der Marine mit moderner Ausrüstung" (in German). German Navy. 17 May 2004. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  4. German Navy K130 Corvettes Ready for Saab RBS-15 Mk3 Anti-Ship Missiles, Navy recognition, 8 June 2016.
  5. "Fünf neue Korvetten für die Bundeswehr", Faz, 14 October 2016.
  6. "German Navy to Get Five More K130 Braunschweig-class Corvettes", Navy recognition, 14 November 2016.
  7. "Germany awards €2.4bln contract for five new K130 corvettes". Naval Today.
  8. Kopp, Martin (13 September 2017). "Riesenauftrag von Bundeswehr: Blohm+Voss auf Jahre gerettet" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt.
  9. "Four Shipyards Agree to Build New German Corvettes". www.defense-aerospace.com. April 9, 2018.
  10. "Wie Blohm+Voss vom Bau neuer Korvetten profitiert". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). 6 April 2018.
  11. "Germany's K130 Batch 2 Corvette Program 2 Years Behind Schedule". 17 October 2022.