The German Navy has taken delivery of the second Baden Wurttemberg-class frigate, the Nordrhein-Westfalen, in a ceremony at the naval base in Wilhelmshaven.
The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and InService Support (BAAINBw) received the frigate on March 3, after the ship arrived from the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg.
Following the delivery, the “complete prerequisites for the operability of the ship” will be provided by the Navy and the future crew will receive further training on board.
Nordrhein-Westfalen was delivered after she entered the water in 2015 and completed her first set of builder’s trials in February 2017. The lead ship in the class, the now-commissioned FGS Baden Wurttemberg, had been delivered to the navy in 2016 but was returned to the shipbuilder due to a range of issues identified during trials. The frigate was redelivered in 2019.
The third unit is slated for delivery this year and the fourth in 2021.
The 7,000-ton frigates are replacing the eight Bremen-class frigates currently in service with the German Navy. The ships are delivered by the ARGE F125 consortium, comprising thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the lead company and the Bremenbased Fr. Lürssen shipyard. 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 Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg under the direction of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems.
F125 frigates are armed with HARPOON and RAM missiles, a 127 mm naval gun, two 27 mm and five 12.7 mm guns.
