Costing billions and 166 meters long: Germans are building the largest warship since World War II

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

The German Bundeswehr is heavily rearming itself. The intention is for a new warship to depart in 2028. It is the largest since the Second World War, as “Der Spiegel” writes.

It is a gigantic project that started on December 5 at various locations in northern Germany. A total of four class 126 frigates will be built. Costs: more than five billion euros.

The new ships are strikingly different from the ships that the German Bundeswehr previously used. The novelty: the crew can operate in multiple lanes during a mission. For the first time, there will be interchangeable elements on this battleship. This means that commanders are prepared for a wide variety of missions – for example with special equipment for hunting submarines or anti-piracy operations. Particular importance is attached to the possibility of early detection of enemy submarines.

Universal weapon interesting for NATO

In the event of an emergency, the new ships must also be able to defend themselves against other enemy warships. For this reason, the ships must have anti-aircraft missiles and special missiles on board as armament.

It should even be possible to swap elements during ongoing missions. This requires specialists to replace certain containers. They are flown in especially for this purpose. This has the advantage that less time needs to be spent on maintenance and repairs on land. According to the Navy, one type of ship has not yet been able to fulfill such a broad range of tasks.

Armed conflicts have increased the alertness of Western armies

The goal: Germany wants to be able to compete internationally with its new combat ship. The ship is also interesting for NATO and could significantly advance the alliance, as Johannes Peters, a naval expert from Kiel, told “Der Spiegel”. To date, only a few NATO ships are able to defend themselves against enemy missiles and drones.

The frigates will operate in the polar regions and the tropics. Warships monitor the underwater world using sensors or make situation reports. In recent years, Western militaries have assumed that warships specialized in battles are no longer necessary.

However, the threat situation of recent months paints a different picture. Armed conflicts have increased again and military conflicts no longer seem impossible. This changed the perspective and increased the importance of the Navy. At the start of construction, State Secretary Siemtje Möller (40) emphasized that the new frigate is desperately needed in these times.

Test runs are intended to demonstrate quality

Numerous companies are involved in the major project. Dutch shipbuilder Damen Naval is in charge. However, the warships are built at various North German shipyards.

Peene Shipyard in Wolgast is busy building the stern ships. The front parts of the ships are built in Kiel. The ship is also assembled there. The workers then transport the ships to Hamburg, where construction continues. Finally, the companies use the systems on board and the ships have to prove themselves on sea trials. Only then can the frigate be launched.

Source: Blick