Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has handed over the frigate SACHSEN-ANHALT to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). It is the third of a total of four ships of the Type F125 which TKMS is building in the ARGE F125 consortium together with the Fr. Lürssen Shipyard.
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. The ceremony in Wilhelmshaven was low profile due to the pandemic. On behalf of TKMS, Programme Manager Patrick Buggenthin signed the handover papers. The last ship of the F125 series, the RHEINLAND-PFALZ, is to be handed over this year.
F125 Specifics
The Type F125 frigates 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 stabilisation operations in an international context. In addition to the ability to engage targets both on land and at sea, 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 per cent of the highly complex systems on board the F125 were developed specifically for this new type of ship.
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 of Blohm+Voss in Hamburg.
Principal data of the F125:
Length: 149 m
Beam: 18 m
Maximum speed: > 26 kn
Displacement: approx. 7,200 t
Complement: max. 190 (of which 126 are regular crew)
