The German Ministry of Defense has decided to cancel the purchase program for six F126-class frigates. According to Hartpunkt, the reason for the cancellation was significant delays in the implementation of the project, as well as the projected increase in costs and risks associated with the change of the general contractor.
Subject to approval by the budget committee, the German military is considering the possibility of purchasing eight MEKO frigates, primarily focused on anti-submarine warfare, as an alternative.
Frigate design F126, Germany
Damen Naval
"Anti-submarine warfare is of paramount importance within the framework of NATO and, therefore, is a national priority. Timely and full fulfillment of obligations to the alliance is crucial when purchasing frigates, the newspaper notes. "The MEKO frigates will be equipped with the same towed sonar system from Atlas Elektronik that the F126 ships were going to be equipped with."
According to a statement from the German Ministry of Defense, the Belgian company Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS), initially selected as the general contractor for the F126 program, was unable to meet the agreed deadlines and budget constraints. The contract provided for the delivery of the first of the six frigates by mid-2028 and the commissioning of the rest by 2033.
After DSNS notified Berlin of a significant delay in the execution of the contract and the inability to build ships on the agreed dates and within the approved budget, the German Ministry of Defense has been exploring the possibility of changing the general contractor to Naval Vessels Lürssen (now part of the Rheinmetall industrial group) since 2025.
The completed examination of the project showed that in the current reality, the continuation of the program will require significant additional costs. The conclusion of a contract with a new general contractor for the supply of six F126 frigates was estimated at about 15.2 billion euros (the initial agreement with Damen cost about 10 billion euros). In addition, it will be necessary to compensate for the services already provided by the Belgian company, as well as the costs of concluded contracts for the supply of individual components. The military department stated that in this way the total financial costs of the F126 program will increase to more than 18 billion euros.
The head of the German Navy confirmed that the MEKO A-200 DEU frigates are capable of performing basic anti-submarine tasks. In addition, the standardized design of the ship provides significant advantages in operation, maintenance and personnel training.
The command of the German Navy intends to submit to the budget committee of the Bundestag as soon as possible a justification for the decision to purchase eight MEKO frigates. Subject to parliamentary approval, the purchase price of the first four MEKO A-200 frigates will be approximately 6.3 billion euros. The option to purchase four more ships can be implemented by the end of 2026 in the amount of about 5.3 billion euros.
The MEKO A-200 frigates are significantly smaller than the F126 frigates. For comparison, the ships are 121 and 166 meters long, respectively, and have a displacement of 3,950 and 10,550 tons.
At the same time, the A-200s are considered modern multipurpose ships. They were developed by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems using advanced stealth technologies, including a hull design with low radar visibility and systems that minimize infrared, acoustic and magnetic signatures.
The frigate can be equipped with various weapons systems, sensors and combat systems in accordance with the specific requirements of the customer.
