NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Lübeck 2008

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Bremen	F207		Bremer Vulkan, Bremen	9.7.1979	27.9.1979	7.5.1982	stricken 3.2014
Niedersachsen	F208		Weser, Bremen	9.11.1980	9.6.1980	15.10.1982	stricken 6.2015
Rheinland-Pfalz	F209		Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	25.9.1979	3.9.1980	9.5.1983	stricken 3.2013
Emden	F210		Nordseewerke, Emden	23.6.1979	17.12.1980	7.10.1983	stricken 11.2013
Köln	F211		Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	16.6.1980	29.5.1981	19.10.1984	stricken 7.2012
Karlsruhe	F212		Howaldtswerke, Kiel	10.3.1981	8.1.1982	19.4.1984	stricken 6.2017
Augsburg	F213		Bremer Vulkan, Bremen	4.4.1987	17.9.1987	3.10.1989	in service (2019)
Lübeck	F214		Nordseewerke, Emden	1.6.1987	15.10.1987	19.3.1990	in service (2019)

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	2930
Displacement full, t	3780
Length, m	121.8 wl 130.0 oa
Breadth, m	14.4
Draught, m	4.26 hull 6.00 sonar
No of shafts	2
Machinery	CODOG: 2 General Electric-Fiat LM-2500 gas turbines / 2 MTU 20V956 TB92 diesels
Power, h. p.	50000 / 10400
Max speed, kts	30
Fuel, t	gas turbine / diesel oil 610
Endurance, nm(kts)	5700(17)
Armament	2 x 4 Harpoon SSM (8 RGM-84A), 1 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (24 RIM-7M), 1 x 1 - 76/62 OTO Melara Compact, 2 x 2 - 324 Mk 32 TT (8 Mk 46 + 16 Mk 46 for helicopters), 2 helicopters (Lynx)
Electronic equipment	3RM20, DA-08, WM-25, STIR-18 radars, DSQS-21B(Z) sonar, FL-1800S ECM suite, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL, SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy, SABRINA CCS
Complement	199

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Preparatory works on the design of new fighting ships began with the institution of the new navy in 1955-56, but until the 1960s all design was based on the knowledge and experience of wartime officers and civil servants who had re-enlisted. The  German shipbuilding industry was faced with the problem of closing a ten-year gap in design experience. The design of the Hamburg and Köln classes was commendable given the short space of time in which it was produced, but like other contemporary designs they suffered from the WEU's displacement limit, which resulted in too many components for the displacement. This is why all the units of the first shipbuilding programme look so voluminous and have such high superstructures.

The role of Types 101 and 120 were very clearly defined: escorting convoys against submarines and aircraft, repelling of surface attack plus minelaying ability. At this time the submarine, the chief opponent, was diesel-powered, and the aircraft menace was represented by fighter-bombers. The weaponry of this first generation of German surface combatants clearly matched these requirements: panoramic aircraft -warning radars plus gun-directors for quick reaction. The 100mm turrets plus the 40mm produced the necessary gun component. The destroyers' propulsion consisted of conventional steam turbines, the frigates had diesels plus gas turbines for dash speed. But the tremendous development in engineering technology, nuclear propulsion, new weapons and electronic guidance systems, made conventional warships of this first generation quickly obsolete

During the 1960s preliminary studies for a follow-up type were produced. The first design was for an AA corvette of 1200t displacement, ten of which were envisaged. But the increasing submarine menace necessitated an ASW component which forced the displacement up to 2500t. Because of the restricted defence budget of the German Federal Republic at this time, the project was dropped and in place of the new AA/ASW corvettes both the Lütjens class destroyers and the ten boats of the Zobel class were modernized.

The next design stage was the 'Frigate 70' which was to have incorporated all the required components. Although the budgetary board had accepted on 23 January 1969 and the defence board of the Bundestag had accepted this Type on 8 February 1969, the orders were cancelled because the design stage had not been completed and the displacement had risen to 3600t while the building costs had soared.

So design studies started again from scratch by comparing various foreign frigate designs of which the Netherlands' 'Standard' frigate of the Kortenaer class turned out to be optimal. On 17 July 1975, a 'Memorandum of Understanding' with the Netherlands was signed, followed by acceptance by the German Defence Board on 28 January 1976.

On 26 November 1977 six units were ordered, designated the Type 122, and a further two on 6 December 1985. The NATO Sea Sparrow system employs a Mk 21 launcher. The helicopters are Mk 88 Lynx with DAQS-13D dipping sonar and the Canadian Bear Trap system is fitted to the helicopter deck.

Modernizations

1991, Bremen, Niedersachsen, Karlsruhe: + 1 x 7 - 30/77 Goalkeeper, Goalkeeper radar

1993, Niedersachsen; 1994, Rheinland-Pfalz, Lübeck; 1995, Bremen, Emden; 1996, Karlsruhe, Augsburg; 1997, Köln: as type 122A: + 2 x 21 RAM SAM (42 RIM-116A), TAS6-3 towed sonar array

1994, Bremen, Niederesachsen, Karlsruhe: - 1 x 7 - 30/77, Goalkeeper radar

1997, Emden; 1999, Karlsruhe; 2000, Köln; 2002, Bremen, Augsburg; 2003, Lübeck, Niedersachsen, Rheinland-Pfalz: - DA-08 radar, FL-1800 ECM suite; + 2 x 1 - 20/90 Rh-202, TRS-3D/32 radar, TMS system (upgrade for WM-25 radar), 2x MSP 500 e/o systems, FL-1800S Stage II ECM suite

2003, Emden; 2004, Karlsruhe; 2005, Niedersachsen; 2006-2009, Bremen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Köln, Augsburg, Lübeck: - 2 x 1 - 20/90, SABRINA CCS; + 2 x 1 - 27/64 MLG-27, SATIR 2000 CCS

2016-2018, Augsburg, Lübeck: - 3RM20 radar; + Kelvin-Hughes 5000A radar

Naval service

No significant events.