TSAMTO, June 25. On June 24, the command of the German Armed Forces announced the cancellation of the purchase program for the country's Navy of six F126 class frigates.
As stated, the German Ministry of Defense made this decision due to significant delays in the implementation of the project, a significant increase in costs and numerous risks.
As stated, the purchase program for 6 F126-class frigates was initiated due to the importance of anti-submarine warfare for national defense. However, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS), the company appointed as the general contractor, was unable to meet the agreed deadlines and allocated budget. The decision of the Ministry of Defense to "save" the project by changing the general contractor to Naval Vessels Lurssen B.V. & Co. KG (NVL) did not bring results.
As a result, the Ministry of Defense decided to supply the German Navy with 8 MEKO A-200 DEU class frigates instead of six F126 frigates. According to Navy Inspector Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaak, these ships will allow the Navy to carry out the task of anti-submarine warfare, while respecting its obligations to NATO. The Ministry intends to submit a justification for the purchase of A-200 DEU frigates to the Bundestag Budget Committee as soon as possible.
The purchase price of the first four MEKO A-200 DEU frigates will be about 6.3 billion rubles. euro, subject to approval by the budget committee. The option to purchase four more ships is planned to be implemented by the end of 2026. Its cost will be about 5.3 billion. euro. Thus, the total cost of the acquisition is estimated at 11.6 billion. euro.
The purchase price of the MEKO A-200 DEU frigates is significantly lower than the 18 billion required for the purchase of six F126 frigates. euro. In addition, in the event of a change of general contractor, the German Government would have to waive any potential damage compensation claims against the previous contractor, DSNS, in accordance with the terms of the contract. According to the Defense Ministry, this would be contrary to the principles of responsible management of public funds.
As reported by CAMTO, in June 2020, the Federal Office for Armaments, Information Technology and Maintenance (BAAINBw) of the German Ministry of Defense signed a contract with Damen Shipyards for the design and construction of four F126 frigates for the German Navy. Their cost was estimated at 4.6 billion. euro (5.45 billion dollars).
The agreement included an option to supply two more ships, which was implemented in June 2024. The cost of this order was about 3.1 billion. euro.
The steel cutting ceremony for the construction of the lead frigate F126 took place on December 5, 2023. The keel was laid on June 3, 2024. The transfer of the ship to the German Navy was scheduled for 2028, and deliveries were expected to be completed by 2033.
However, for various reasons, Damen Shipyards was unable to meet the construction schedule within the agreed budget, which required the German Ministry of Defense to decide on a change of contractor. The value of the new contract for the supply of 6 F126 frigates selected by the new NVL contractor was estimated at 15.2 billion. euro. At the same time, the costs already incurred are estimated at 2.3 billion. euro. This amount includes design work, construction, software development, and payments to subcontractors.
Taking into account the existing problems, in order to minimize risks, from the end of 2025, the German Ministry of Defense began preparing for the implementation of an alternative project for the purchase of MEKO A-200 frigates. In February 2026, BAAINBw signed a preliminary agreement with TKMS to carry out preparatory activities for the construction of MEKO A-200 class frigates without concluding a final contract for the supply of these ships. The chosen approach should shorten the project implementation time and allow the delivery of the first ship by the end of 2029. According to reports, negotiations with TKMS to agree on the details of the purchase are in the final stages.
The MEKO A-200 frigate is a modern multipurpose ship developed by TKMS. The ship's hull is designed using stealth technology, which makes it difficult for the enemy to detect it. The total length of the ship is 121 m, the maximum width is 16.4 m, and the displacement is 3,950 tons. A set of detection and weapons systems for the new ships is under approval. The frigates are expected to be equipped with the same Atlas Elektronik towed sonar system as the F126.
