Tiger-class fast attack craft

Last updated
Elster P6154.jpg
Tiger-class vessel S54 Elster
Class overview
NameTiger class
Operators
Preceded by Zobel class
Succeeded by Albatros class
Built1971–1975
In commission1972–2002 (Germany)
Completed20
Lost1
General characteristics (After last refit)
Type Fast Attack Craft
Displacement265 tonnes (261 long tons)
Length47 m (154 ft 2 in)
Beam7 m (23 ft)
Draught2.70 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range
  • 570  nmi (1,060 km) at 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
  • 1,600 nmi (3,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement30
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
NotesThe ships have been updated twice (1982–84 and 1990–92), this represents the last update that was performed on all ships.

The Type 148 Tiger-class fast attack craft are a group of missile boats built to a Franco-German design and seeing service in the German Navy. The vessels entered service in the 1970s and served into the early 21st century. While they have been mostly retired from German Navy service, many were transferred to other navies and remained in service longer.

Contents

Design

Tiger-class S57 Weihe (P6157), 1985 German fast attack craft S57 Weihe (P6157) in the Baltic Sea on 28 August 1985.jpg
Tiger-class S57 Weihe (P6157), 1985

The vessels had been designed by Lürssen of Germany for Israel. They were a modification of the Jaguar-class fast attack craft but armed with the French Exocet missile. They were built mainly in France by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie in Cherbourg (CMN) for political reasons; twelve were built and completed there, while another eight of the boats were laid down by CMH, but completed by Lürssen.

Their export to Israel was also blocked for political reasons, and the boats were commissioned into the German Navy as the Tiger class. A number of other boats were built by CMN for various navies to the same design, which became known as the La Combattante II type fast attack craft.

Operational history

The boats were commissioned into the Bundesmarine in the mid-1970s, replacing the Jaguar-class vessels of the 3rd and 5th Squadrons. At first the boats did not receive names, only numbers, but these were introduced later at the insistence of the crews.

The ships served for 30 years, and received major updates in 1982–84 and 1990–92. After decommissioning they were scrapped or sold to different countries. No direct replacements were procured as due to the changed operating conditions the Deutsche Marine has reduced the number of these fast attack boats drastically and procured instead a smaller number of corvettes.

Ship list

NATO
pennant
number
German
pennant
number
Name Call sign [ citation needed ] Shipyard Laid down [1] Launched [1] Commissioned [1] DecommissionedStatus
P6141S41TigerDRBACMN11 October 197127 September 197230 October 197224 September 1998sold to the Chilean Navy as Teniente Uribe (LM-39); decommissioned 2014.
P6142S42Iltis (Polecat)DRBBCMN2 February 197212 December 19728 January 197315 October 1992sold to the Hellenic Navy
P6143S43Luchs (Lynx)DRBCCMN23 March 19727 March 19739 April 197327 August 1998sold to the Chilean Navy for scrapping
P6144S44Marder (Marten)DRBDCMN15 April 19725 May 197314 July 197325 May 1994sold to the Hellenic Navy
P6145S45LeopardDRBECMN13 September 19723 July 197321 August 197328 September 2000sold to the Hellenic Navy
P6146S46Fuchs (Fox)DRBF Lürssen 10 March 197221 May 19717 October 197319 December 2002Sold to the Egyptian Navy
P6147S47JaguarDRBGCMN29 November 197220 September 197313 November 197328 September 2000sold to the Hellenic Navy
P6148S48Löwe (Lion)DRBHLürssen10 July 197210 September 19739 January 197419 December 2002sold to the Egyptian Navy
P6149S49WolfDRBICMN23 January 197311 January 197426 February 197427 August 1997sold to the Chilean Navy in 1997 as Guardiamarina Riquelme (LM-36); decommissioned 2004.
P6150S50PantherDRBJLürssen30 September 197210 December 197327 March 197429 September 2002scrapped 2003
P6151S51Häher (Jay)DRBKCMN5 April 197326 April 197412 June 197423 June 1994sold to the Hellenic Navy
P6152S52Storch (Stork)DRBLLürssen12 March 197325 March 197417 July 197412 November 1992sold to the Hellenic Navy
P6153S53Pelikan (Pelican)DRBMCMN11 September 19734 July 197424 September 197425 June 1998sold to the Chilean Navy for scrapping.
P6154S54Elster (Magpie)DRBNLürssen29 June 19738 July 197414 November 197427 August 1997sold to the Chilean Navy in 1997 as Teniente Orella (LM-37); decommissioned 2014.
P6155S55Alk (Auk)DRBOCMN9 April 197415 November 19747 January 197513 May 2002sold to the Egyptian Navy
P6156S56Dommel (Bittern)DRBPLürssen13 December 197330 October 197412 February 197519 December 2002sold to the Egyptian Navy
P6157S57Weihe (Harrier)DRBQCMN2 July 197413 February 19753 April 197519 December 2002sold to the Egyptian Navy
P6158S58Pinguin (Penguin)DRBRLürssen11 March 197426 February 197522 May 197528 June 2002scrapped 2003
P6159S59Reiher (Heron)DRBSCMN8 November 197415 May 197524 June 197527 September 2002scrapped 2003
P6160S60Kranich (Crane)DRBTLürssen9 May 197426 May 19756 August 197524 September 1998sold to the Chilean Navy in 1998 as Teniente Serrano (LM-38); decommissioned 2014.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corvette</span> Small warship

A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloop-of-war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missile boat</span> Small warship armed with anti-ship missiles

A missile boat or missile cutter is a small, fast warship armed with anti-ship missiles. Being smaller than other warships such as destroyers and frigates, missile boats are popular with nations interested in forming a navy at lower cost. They are similar in concept to the torpedo boats of World War II; in fact, the first missile boats were modified torpedo boats with the torpedo tubes replaced by missile tubes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fast attack craft</span> Naval surface vessel capable of high speed designed to attack other watercraft

A fast attack craft (FAC), also referred to as a PTG or a PCG, is a small, fast, agile, offensive, often affordable warship armed with anti-ship missiles, gun or torpedoes. FACs are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the seakeeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel also limits the fuel, stores and water supplies. Their displacements are usually under 700 tons, and they can reach speeds of 25+ knots or 46+ kph.

<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>Zobel</i>-class fast attack craft

The Type 142 Zobel class was a German class of torpedo bearing fast attack craft. They were in service with the Bundesmarine during the Cold War to protect the Baltic sea coast. The class was designed by Lürssen.

<i>Jaguar</i>-class fast attack craft

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.

Saar 3-class missile boat Missile boats built in Cherbourg, France for the Israeli navy

The Sa'ar 3 class ("Cherbourg") is a series of missile boats built in Cherbourg, France at the Amiot Shipyard based on an Israeli Navy modification of the German Navy's Jaguar-class fast attack craft. They are also known as the stars of Cherbourg.

La Combattante IIa-class fast attack craft

The La Combattante II type missile boats are two classes of fast attack craft of the Hellenic Navy. The first group of four were ordered by Greece in September 1972 from France. The vessels had no class name but are referred to by type. A second group of six were purchased in the 1990s from Germany, comprising six Type 148 Tiger-class fast attack craft that were being decommissioned. The class was renamed La Combattante IIa, as with the French-made ships. All the ships were under mid-life updates in 1980s. Two vessels in the class, P-74 and P-75, were fitted with RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a new ESM was fitted after transfer.

<i>La Combattante III</i>-class fast attack craft

The La Combattante III type missile boats are two classes of fast attack craft built for the Hellenic Navy. The first group of four were ordered by Greece in September 1974 from France. The vessels had no class name but are referred to by type. They are similar to the La Combattante IIa-class fast attack craft already in service, but are larger and armed with torpedoes. A second group of six were ordered in 1978, to be built under license in Greece and use the Norwegian Penguin Mk 2 Mod 3 missiles. Since 2019, all the ships of the class use Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

The La Combattante patrol boat was a type of fast attack craft built in France for export during the 1970s and '80s. It went through several modifications and was sold to, and operated by, numerous navies around the world.

<i>Intrépida</i>-class fast attack craft

The Intrépida class is a class of fast attack craft that was built by Lürssen for the Argentine Navy in the early 1970s. The ships are based on Lürssen's TNC 45 design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie</span>

Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) is a French shipyard located at Cherbourg. It employs approximately four hundred employees covering the various specialities required for the construction of luxury yachts and warships.

Saar 2-class missile boat

The Sa'ar 2 class ("Shalechet") is a class of missile boats built in Cherbourg, France at the Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie shipyard based on Israeli Navy modification of the German Navy's Jaguar-class fast attack craft. Three of the ships class were converted from Sa'ar 1-class patrol boats in 1974.

Combattante FS56 Stealth Fast Attack Craft is a patrol boat developed by the French Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie shipyard (CMN) as a development of the La Combattante III type fast attack craft.

La Combattante (P730) was a fast patrol vessel of the French Navy. She was built in 1963 and was to be the prototype for a class of coastal patrol craft. La Combattante was operational in the French Navy from 1963 until 1985, when she was transferred to the French Coast Guard. She was discarded in 1994.

<i>Perdana</i>-class missile boat

The Perdana class is a class of fast attack craft in service with the Royal Malaysian Navy. This class is based on the French La Combattante II design built by CMN/ Lürssen. A total of four ships completed and currently in service with Royal Malaysian Navy.

BRP <i>Lolinato To-ong</i>

BRP Lolinato To-ong (PG-902) is second ship of the class of the Acero-class patrol gunboat of the Philippine Navy. She was commissioned with the Philippine Navy on 28 November 2022 and is currently in active service with the Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet.

The La Combattante II patrol boat was a type of fast attack craft built in France for export during the 1970s. Some 37 were built in various classes for several navies around the world.

The La Combattante III type patrol boat was a type of fast attack craft built in France for export during the late 1970s and 1980s. The design was a modification of the successful La Combattante II type fast attack craft. Nineteen ships of the design were built in various classes for several navies around the world.

References

Notes

Bibliography