On Tuesday, 6 January 2026, the frigate "Sachsen", under the command of frigate captain Wolfgang Eckmüller, will leave her home port of Wilhelmshaven. She will become part of the NATO Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG 1). After training cruises last year, the crew will now head to the North Sea, Baltic Sea and North Atlantic for deployment in SNMG 1. "I am proud to be the commander of the frigate 'Sachsen' and to be able to proudly represent the name of the sponsoring country and carry it out into the world," says the commander, who has been in command of the ship since April 2024. "The core mission of the 'Sachsen' in SNMG 1 will be the control and protection of strategic sea lanes and the protection of critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic Sea," he continued. The German frigate will take on various tasks within the NATO organisation. The sister ship "Hamburg" recently proved how important the F124-class frigates are for the organisation. The "Sachsen" has been in service for the navy since 2004 and, like her sister ships, has undergone several minor modernisations, even if it is only digital radio from Motorola. The "Sachsen" was also a test carrier for laser weapons (see here). However, the major modernisation and elimination of obsolescence that was actually required has failed to materialise. The ongoing development of the main sensor has required an upgrade for years, but the navy has nevertheless decided that the availability of the units at sea has priority. An upgrade would mean missing this important class of ship for years. And the "Hamburg" and the "Hessen" have proven just how good the class is in the Middle East. The ship is expected back in Wilhelmshaven in mid-July 2026.