Rohde & Schwarz has been commissioned to supply and integrate communication and radar system electronic support measures (C-ESM/R-ESM) from its KORA family onto the German Navy’s F124 Sachsen-class frigates, the company announced on 21 October 2024.
Following approval by the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag, the contract was signed on 18 October in Koblenz with the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).
“The KORA systems procured for these frigates are an integrated, proven and constantly evolving detection and analysis system for emissions, such as communication and radar, with extended capabilities for electromagnetic support and countermeasures,” the company stated in a press release.
The KORA 40 will be installed on three F124 frigates, as well as on three land systems. The system enables crews to detect, identify, track and analyse both complex and wideband radar emissions, as well as communications signals. The KORA 40 system provides the ship’s command with a comprehensive situational awareness picture, covering the entire electromagnetic spectrum with high sensitivity and long range in near real time.
The system is complemented by a component for electromagnetic countermeasures (R-ECM) for self-protection. The KORA system replaces the ships’ previous electronic warfare systems and is intended to serve until the expected end of service life of these frigates or their replacement by a successor class.
“The German Armed Forces rely on R&S KORA, a state-of-the-art, commercially available family of systems concept, to effectively leverage synergies. Following the F125-class frigates and the recently expanded F126-class frigates, now increased to six units, as well as a boat class as a key capability carrier, the important air defence frigates of the F124 class are now also benefiting from this approach,” Alexander Philipp, managing director of Rohde & Schwarz Vertriebs, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Rohde & Schwarz has a longstanding and successful partnership with our national customer, having collaborated closely across all branches of the military. Radio communications, encryption, reconnaissance and self-protection all rely on comprehensive mastery of the electromagnetic spectrum in both hardware and software.
“The innovative solutions in R&S KORA provide the German Navy with cutting-edge, cross-functional, cutting-edge technology along with user friendliness, personnel efficiency and cost-effectiveness over the entire service life. Recently, the Polish Navy also procured R&S KORA for its Miecznik-class frigates,“ Philipp added.
The systems and components are manufactured at the Rohde & Schwarz factories in Bavaria, as well as at the expanding Maritime Competence Center North in Kiel/Hamburg. As part of the procurement, the German Navy will also receive the necessary training and reference equipment. The integration into the ships themselves will be carried out through additional shipbuilding contracts.
Today, in addition to the German Navy, more than 40 navies around the world rely on scalable, modular and adaptable solutions from Rohde & Schwarz to connect and protect their naval forces, the company noted.
