There seems to be some movement in the navy's procurement programme. In addition to the 'open' fuel transporter project, the fleet service boats remain in focus, even if the programme has become quiet in the meantime. According to reports, Rostock, Berlin and Koblenz are working on bringing the procurement of the reconnaissance units to the relevant parliamentary committees before the parliamentary summer break. While the fuel transporters have so far fallen foul of the procurement procedure, the reconnaissance units have been favourably received in relevant questions to the Federal Government. The Federal Ministry of Defence comments on the 2021 defence budget on its website (https://www.bmvg.de/de/themen/verteidigungshaushalt/verteidigungshaushalt-2021): "In addition, [the Eurodrone, the German-Norwegian project U 212 Common Design and missile and] the procurement of new fleet service boats are taken into account."
In any case, the operational vehicles for the naval battalion and the specialised naval forces are on the naval command's wish list. With a Europe-wide tender, which ended on 20 July 2020, the Federal Ministry of Defence intends to procure at least nine medium-range operational boats for the Naval Special Forces Command via a framework agreement, along with equipment and other services for the boats. Call-off orders for up to twelve further boats of the same design are planned. The procurement is being implemented as the first project in the S4 project group of the Maritime Division of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support.
According to information from Griephan (issue of 8 January 2021), these naval procurement projects could be discussed in parliamentary committees in the first half of 2021:
- Procurement of two class 707 marine fuel transporters
- Development and procurement of two Class 212CD submarines
- Procurement of rigid hull inflatable boats to replace RHIB 1010
- Procurement of three Class 424 fleet service boats
- Procurement of the NSM missile system
- Development and procurement of an unmanned helicopter for reconnaissance for the corvettes 130
- Material maintenance missile RBS 15
- Obsolescence elimination radar Smart-L on frigate class 124
- Obsolescence elimination for the tactical radars of the Class 123 frigates
On 1 February 2021, it was announced that MTG Marinetechnik GmbH had been commissioned to carry out studies in a total of twelve subject areas following a Europe-wide tender. For 'Future Surface Combat Ships' (ZÜKS), cost and performance analyses are to prepare the ground for planning decisions. Specifically mentioned are the areas of harbour tug, minesweeper drone, medium support unit for sea-going units (MUsE), multi-purpose combat boat, accommodation boat, "various training facilities and units", harbour tanker, transfer boat and the 'Next Generation Frigate' project.
In the area of support vessels, it was announced at the "Surface Warships" conference in London in mid-January that Rostock is endeavouring to procure overdue replacements for its (port) operating and training vessels. No details were disclosed about the civilian design and the possibility of leasing, i.e. away from the self-administration of such vehicles.
Class 707 fuel transporter
More concrete are the ideas for the successor to the fuel transporters, the fleet service boats and the Class 404 tenders. The planned Class 707 fuel transporters will be the navy's floating refuelling stations. They stand out from their Class 704 predecessors "Rhön" and "Spessart" both visually and in terms of performance - and not just because of their double hull. They also fulfil the NATO requirement for NBC suitability.
With this design, the specifications have changed significantly in two positions compared to the previously announced parameters. The previously required speed of 20 knots has now become a maximum of 18 knots. The draught has increased to 9.5 metres. On the one hand, this allows the shipyards interested in the order to orientate themselves on more common designs, which should be reflected in lower construction and development costs. On the other hand, the navy now has to deal with the stationing of the ships. The military requirement to date has been that the new fuel transporters also have a draught of eight metres in order to avoid deepening the naval base in Wilhelmshaven.
| Fuel transporter | Class 707 | Class 704 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 160 m | 130 m |
| Width | 23 m | 19 m |
| Displacement | 20.000 t | 14.200 t |
| Max. Maximum speed | 18 kn | 16 kn |
| Reach | 8,000 nm | |
| Crew | 42 (civil) | 42 (civil) |
| Embarkation capacity | 23 | 14 |
| Fuel | 12,000 cubic metres | 10,400 cubic metres |
| Lubricants | 100 cubic metres | 55 Barrel |
| Aviation fuels | 500 cbm | |
| Container sites | 10 TEU | 2 TEU |
| Flight deck | for NH90 | - |
Class 424 fleet service boats
The selection decision for a realisation proposal is expected in early 2021 so that - following parliamentary approval - a contract can then be concluded with the industry. Delivery of construction number one is expected in 2025. Previously, it was assumed that the two subsequent units would be delivered to the fleet one year apart. According to the information available to us, the planning is heading towards a design with a length of 140 metres and a displacement of 4000 tonnes. The crew of the "boats" is to be 50 and the reconnaissance team to be embarked is to be of a similar size.
Replacement for tender class 404
Six units with limited command and control capabilities for small task forces are to replace the existing Class 404 tenders from 2029. The CPM document "Capability Gap and Functional Requirement" for the "Medium Support Unit afloat" (MUsE) is to be drawn up and signed.
| Tender | MUsE | Class 404 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 130 m | 100 m |
| Displacement | 10.000 t | 3.170 t |
| Max. Maximum speed | 18 kn | 15 kn |
| Crew | 70 | 36 |
| Embarkation capacity | 70 | 30 + 12 |
| Fuel | 2,400 cubic metres | 700 cbm |
| Aviation fuels | 75 cbm | 60 cubic metres |
| Fresh water | 200 cbm | 280 cbm |
| Flight deck | for NH90 | Yes |
New 212CD class submarines
After a long wait, the German-Norwegian U 212CD (Common Design) project, which was originally due to be finalised in 2019, is set to clear the parliamentary hurdle in the first half of 2021. In September 2020, the German government's answer to a minor question from the FDP stated that the parliamentary referral was planned for summer 2021. The prerequisite is an agreement between the two navies and the contractor Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Last autumn, the Kiel-based company voiced concerns that negotiations on project details could jeopardise the award of a contract before the German parliamentary elections. The project is of great importance to the navy. For Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and for Germany, it is of industrial policy importance.
Text: Hans-Uwe Mergener; Illustrations: MTG/BAAINBw
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The new class 424 fleet service boats also seem to me to be a design from 15 years ago . There is nothing to be seen here about stealth characteristics that would be advantageous for reconnaissance. Unfortunately there is nothing written about the dimensions. To me
It is also not clear why every new ship design has to be accompanied by new hull proportions . Sometimes 140 metres long, sometimes 150 metres long . A fully developed hull design with the same proportions and propulsion sections can certainly carry different equipment.
In the case of the Class 424, which seems to have been designed 15 years ago anyway, the hull and propulsion of the Class 130 could also have been used. That would have been cheaper in many respects.
In my opinion, it would also be important to finally build a proper ship for the naval battalion with proper transport and helicopter capacity similar to landing and dock ships and not always be dependent on the Dutch. Germany should finally put aside its provincial naval thinking. Unfortunately there are still too many cowards in Berlin who think that Germany has just lost the war
In addition to the unmanned helicopter for corvettes (actually a drone), I am missing statements on issues relating to naval aircraft. When will a successor to the P 3 finally be procured if it hardly flies today? What about an unmanned drone for large-scale maritime surveillance from the air (e.g. the US Navy's Triton)ß