Amid a scenario of significant delays and difficulties in the construction of the new F126 frigates for the German Navy—also known as the Niedersachsen class—the first calls for cancellation of the program have begun to emerge from the Defense Committee of the Bundestag (German Parliament). These are issues that had already been noted in various reports since last year, as reflected in the 19th Armament Report published by the Ministry of Defense in early 2024, although that report suggested the possibility of salvaging the project through increased investment.
Expanding on the issue, local reports indicate that the main difficulty facing the F126 frigate program lies in the software interfaces of the Dutch shipbuilder Damen’s design systems, the company in charge of constructing the vessels. As expected, this has also had a considerable impact on the work carried out by German subcontractors, jeopardizing the scheduled delivery date of 2028.
On the other hand, when considering the possibility of making greater investments to resolve these issues and revive the program, the aforementioned Defense Committee appears reluctant to proceed. An illustrative example of this can be seen in the comments of Bastian Ernst, the committee’s naval affairs spokesperson for the Christian Democratic Union, who stated: “We should not try to keep the project alive with more money.” He also noted that of the 320 million euros in additional funds invested last year, no transfers have yet been observed to the various subcontractors involved in the production process.
From Germany’s Ministry of Defense, the position is still in favor of continuing the construction of the F126 frigates, accepting the delays, which are currently estimated to push the delivery of the first frigate back by 48 months. This represents a serious problem considering the growing Russian threat, which originally prompted the accelerated development of the Niedersachsen class. Still lacking an official confirmation regarding the path forward, Ernst himself has called on German shipyards to present a “plan B” if possible, in order to avoid a complete loss of investment—especially considering their significant participation in the construction aimed at achieving the goal of 70% German value-added in the vessels.
Another option currently under consideration would be for the Dutch government to move forward with a financial support package to help Damen strengthen its capabilities, in view of the company’s own naval modernization program. Given that Damen is struggling to secure funding—precisely due to the payment scheme being tied to construction milestones of the delayed F126s—such a measure could help resolve some of the challenges facing the program.
Regardless of the course of action the German government ultimately chooses, it is useful to briefly review the characteristics originally expected for the new F126 frigates, a class planned to consist of six ships in total. These vessels are 167 meters in length and 21 meters in beam, displacing 10,000 tons each and requiring a crew of 125 to operate. In terms of mission profiles, the Niedersachsen class was designed to perform maritime surveillance, support special operations, and participate in evacuation missions. They were also noted for their ability to integrate specific mission modules as needed.
*Images used for illustrative purposes only
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