The F126 - a precedent for procurement<\/b><\/h4>\n
The F126 frigate, also known as the Niedersachsen class, is intended to replace the ageing Brandenburg-class frigates (F123) and, as a multi-purpose combat ship - MKS 180, as it was originally designated - will be able to fulfil a wide range of missions, including global operations. The original order for four ships worth \u20ac5.5 billion was awarded to the Dutch Damen Shipyards Group in June 2020 following the first European tender (launched in mid-2015) against German competitors. By awarding the contract, Damen committed to generating a large part of the added value in Germany: The construction was to be carried out with the Hamburg shipyard Blohm&Voss, part of the Naval Vessels L\u00fcrssen Group (NVL), and regional German shipyards belonging to it.<\/p>\n
By exercising the option for two further ships in June 2024, the total value of the order rose to around EUR 9.8 billion.<\/p>\n
Serious problems with the IT interfaces and the transfer of construction plans between Damen Naval and the German subcontractors are said to be the main reason for the acute difficulties in the project. At least according to the official language. Mastery of the French Dassault software is essential for handling the design drawings in the shipbuilding companies - and this is causing difficulties. This requires extensive reworking both by the Dutch contractor itself and subsequent adjustments, particularly at the German shipyards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, sluggish progress in the detailed design phase translates into the threat of a standstill in shipbuilding - resulting in a cascading delay in the construction programme until the individual ships are delivered. Officials speak of at least two years. In the meantime, insiders assume four years. Some members of the German parliament now consider the project to be a failure and are calling for it to be cancelled and for a national replacement solution to ensure the navy's ability to act.<\/p>\n However, the financial impact of a cancellation would be serious. Documents from the German Bundestag show that over 1.8 billion euros can already be traced as a cash flow in the context of the F126 project - a sum made up of actual expenditure for 2020, 2021 and 2024 as well as target estimates for 2022 and 2023. These funds usually include advance payments for planning, infrastructure or technology transfer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The delay also has far-reaching consequences for Damen Naval itself. As interim payments from the client are contractually linked to the progress of construction work, these have been suspended for the time being. However, as the company had calculated on this income, this has resulted in an \"acute financial emergency\" at Damen Naval. According to reports from the Netherlands, government measures were already required to support the company financially. This is not only due to the F126 project, but also to other major Damen Naval orders, such as the planned sub-hunting frigates for the Netherlands and Belgium, which can only be realised by a solidly financed company. Cancelling the F126 project would not only mean considerable losses in the billions, but also serious reputational damage for Damen Naval. Moreover, cross-sectional effects on the European defence industry cannot be ruled out.<\/p>\n Were there any indications of the critical complexity of the project? In the 19th Armaments Report (editorial deadline April 2024, publication July 2024), technical delays in the IT interfaces between Damen Naval and the subcontractors were mentioned, but at the time it was still believed that these could be compensated for with existing time buffers. In retrospect, this assessment proved to be too optimistic. In retrospect, the industry's reluctance to advertise in specialist publications such as the Wehrtechnischer Report on the F126 published in September 2024, for example, could have been interpreted as an early warning sign of a lack of confidence in the smooth implementation of the project.<\/p>\n In response to an enquiry about delays and financial performance, the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) merely confirmed that the contractor had reported a delay in the delivery of the first ship. The contractor is working together with its subcontractors on a revised overall project plan. The BAAINBw takes delays very seriously, but also emphasises the high technical and organisational complexity of such major projects. In response, internal management and controlling mechanisms had been adapted, project management had been strengthened and closer coordination with industry had been promised. This unspecific statement also did not address specific questions about missed payments to German suppliers or the solvency of Damen - a statement that does not help to dispel the ongoing lack of transparency in this project.<\/p>\n Legal and political challenges would arise if the project were to be cancelled. Depending on the contract, parts of the payments could also be reclaimed, particularly if Damen Naval fails to fulfil its contractual obligations. Relevant cases from the defence industry show that reclaims can result in lengthy international legal disputes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, design plans, fuselage sections already started or equipment already provided could, if sensible and technically feasible, be adopted for other programmes (such as a modified F126\/MEKO extension type).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In Wolgast, two aft construction sections were started and partially completed at the Peene shipyard.<\/p>\n Option 1: Restart by German consortium<\/strong><\/p>\n In view of the ongoing problems, there are increasing calls for the project to be cancelled. Members of parliament such as Bastian Ernst (CDU) have called for the contract with Damen Naval to be cancelled and for the project to be restarted under a purely German industrial consortium led by TKMS - together with Naval Vessels L\u00fcrssen (NVL) and GERMAN NAVAL YARDS. This option would not only strengthen the German shipbuilding industry, but could also lead to a consolidation of the shipyard landscape in Germany through mergers or takeovers.<\/p>\n The answer to the question of whether a German consortium could continue the project in the event of Damen Naval's insolvency is complex. On the one hand, German industry has the necessary expertise, as demonstrated by the involvement of Blohm+Voss, Peene-Werft and German Naval Yards as subcontractors in the F126 project. On the other hand, TKMS, which was not selected in the competition for the F126, has proven frigate types such as the MEKO A200 in its portfolio, which could be adapted to the requirements from Berlin, Koblenz and Rostock. The challenge for TKMS would then be to simultaneously manage the F127 frigate construction programme, which the shipyard would like to build as general contractor. Which options the BMVg might favour is not yet publicly known.<\/p>\n Option 2: F127 as a high-end solution with a long start-up time<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n What if the F126 was dispensed with altogether? Parallel to the F126 crisis, the F127 frigate project is also progressing. These ships are designed to replace the F124 Sachsen class and are due to enter service from the mid-2030s. Their main task is state-of-the-art air defence, i.e. the engagement of air targets including a contribution to defence against ballistic and hypersonic missiles. With a displacement of around 10,000 tonnes and the integration of the American AEGIS combat system with 64 vertical launch cells (VLS), they will close a crucial capability gap.<\/p>\n TKMS and NVL entered into a joint venture for the construction of the F127 in September 2024. The utilisation of the TKMS-owned shipyard in Wismar is intended to ease the pressure on other German naval shipyards. However, despite the political urgency and the creation of industrial conditions for an early start to construction in 2025, the F127 is not a quick solution. Its complexity and dependence on long-range items such as the AEGIS system mean that it will not be able to close the immediate capability gap created by the loss of the F126. In any case, there is a serious conceptual difference between the F126 (focussing on underwater operations) and the F127 (focussing on airborne operations).<\/p>\n Option 3: MEKO A200 as a pragmatic interim solution<\/strong><\/p>\n A possible alternative to the Damen F126 would be the rapid procurement of MEKO A200 frigates. The proven and modular design from TKMS is already in service with various navies around the world. With a displacement of around 3,700 tonnes, it is significantly smaller than the F126 or the projected F127, but offers the potential for faster implementation. TKMS has already shown that these ships can be built in a relatively short time, which would enable a rapid expansion of the fleet.<\/p>\n The MEKO A200 is suitable as a multi-purpose anti-submarine warfare frigate and can be equipped with sonar systems and torpedo launchers. Whilst not a complete replacement for the ambitious F126 design, it could provide a basic ASW capability faster than a delayed F126.<\/p>\n The decision in favour of the MEKO A200 would send a strong signal to the German naval shipbuilding industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Option 4: Innovation through unmanned systems<\/strong><\/p>\n In view of the acute capability gaps and the long procurement cycles for manned large-scale platforms, unmanned systems are becoming increasingly important for the navy - and not just as a temporary solution. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), surface vehicles (USVs) and underwater vehicles (UUVs) offer a promising opportunity to close gaps cost-effectively and with less risk to human personnel.<\/p>\n Flying UAVs<\/strong> can be used for reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR: Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) as well as search and rescue operations. Their operating costs are considerably lower than manned aircraft: an MQ-9B SeaGuardian, for example, costs around 5,000 euros per operating hour, compared to around 35,000 euros for a manned maritime patrol aircraft. Submerged UUVs<\/strong> are designed for ISR, mine defence, anti-submarine warfare and oceanographic research. With lower costs and smaller size compared to manned submarines, they can also operate in extreme underwater environments. Models such as the REMUS 600 or the Leidos Sea Dart, which are available from as little as 150,000 US dollars per unit, enable mass production. The German Navy is already testing the BlueWhale UUV for anti-submarine defence and surveillance.<\/p>\n The NATO<\/b> promotes the integration and interoperability of maritime drone systems. Annual exercises such as REPMUS serve as testing grounds for the cooperation of unmanned systems with manned units. The USA<\/b> have also introduced new guidelines for rapid drone procurement to achieve \"full integration of small UAS\" by 2027 and to equip \"every unit with low-cost, expendable drones\". Overall, cost efficiency, risk reduction for personnel and rapid deployment capability make the modern drone an essential element of current naval warfare.<\/p>\n However, the integration of drones into the fleet is not without its challenges. These include the technically secure cooperation of the various systems with manned platforms, the development of robust command and control architectures, cyber security and the establishment of a clear legal and ethical framework for the use of autonomous weapon systems. These are challenges - but they must not be allowed to become obstacles!<\/p>\n For the already \"battered\" navy, this crisis surrounding the F126 project is a bitter brake on the way forward. For the ministerial armaments organisation and the German armaments industry, it is another \"blow with the fence post\"! On the way out of the crisis, neither the navy, the ministry nor the German shipyards must be harmed - we have no time now for a pointless search for culprits!<\/p>\n If a decision is actually made to cancel the project, this would be a serious blow to defence cooperation in Europe and could fundamentally jeopardise future major international projects - which is already implied by the imbalance at Damen. However, in the current threat situation and during Europe's current financial upheaval towards adequate equipment, this would be a completely misguided sign. The current, financially unimaginably extensive armaments programmes must not be allowed to disintegrate into hundreds of national penny graves, but need a cooperative, European approach.<\/p>\n The F126 case, which was \"sent down a difficult path\" (not to say \"botched\") a good decade ago in terms of defence policy, once again calls for an urgent, radical and courageous reform of military procurement processes in order to arrive at quick and sensible solutions. Of course, this also applies to the F127 frigate, whose programme should benefit significantly from an acceleration of the processes, but even if these large frigates are completed ahead of schedule, they certainly do not represent a solution to the current F126 problem. A simpler, national alternative programme such as MEKO A200 could build a pragmatic bridge when exiting the Damen Treaty in order to increase the German presence at sea in good time and secure basic capabilities for the navy. A solution that would be associated with financial, legal and industrial policy risks. There is a lot to be said in favour of a pragmatic solution that can be realised by German shipyards. The prerequisites would be a political consensus and the willingness to make difficult industrial policy decisions.<\/p>\n In the meantime, unmanned systems could be integrated into the fleet at an accelerated pace in order to bridge capability gaps. Vice Admiral Jan C. Kaack, Inspector General of the Navy, sees \"Course 2025\" as the way forward in a hybrid fleet in which large manned platforms operate synergistically with a growing number of autonomous systems. In addition to financial investment, this means a cultural shift towards greater agility and a willingness to take risks in military procurement.<\/p>\n Table.Security.Briefings reported on 16 July that the Chancellery had no position on the F126 issue - how could it? It would be premature to escalate to this level anyway, as the contractual and industrial policy procedure must first develop. And parliamentary opinion-forming, of course. Defence industry changes in the national and European shipyard landscape also require a certain amount of time to mature. However, there is no time to lose!<\/p>\n However, it would be good to support a pragmatic solution from the official and political side with self-confidence and courage.<\/b><\/p>\n hum, ajs<\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" F126 \u2013 m\u00f6glicher Abbruch \u2013 Optionen und Folgen Eine Analyse des Fregattenprojekts F126: Zu Ursachen der Verz\u00f6gerung, Kostenrisiken und Alternativen. Schiffbau in der Zeitenwende Dem gr\u00f6\u00dften Marine-Bauvorhaben der Bundesrepublik seit 1945, dem Fregattenprojekt F126, drohen erhebliche Verz\u00f6gerungen und Kostensteigerungen: Die urspr\u00fcnglich f\u00fcr 2028 geplante Auslieferung der ersten Fregatte wird sich voraussichtlich bis mindestens 2031 verz\u00f6gern. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":47750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"3high","footnotes":""},"categories":[50,486,42,49,51],"tags":[8946,10212,10213,10214,6987,10215,10216,10217,10218,10219,10220,10221,10222],"class_list":["post-47512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sicherheitspolitik-news","category-headlines","category-news","category-schiffsbau-news","category-streitkraefte-news","tag-blue-whale","tag-deutscher-werftenverbund","tag-f127-aegis","tag-faehigkeitsluecke-deutsche-marine","tag-fregattenprojekt-f126","tag-kurs-2025","tag-meko-a200-fregatte","tag-rheinmetall-nvl-uebernahme","tag-ruestungsbeschaffung-reform","tag-tkms-boersengang","tag-unbemannte-maritime-systeme","tag-verzoegerung-damen-naval","tag-zeitenwende-sicherheitspolitik"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47512"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48988,"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47512\/revisions\/48988"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marineforum.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Keel](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/deu-f126_kiellegung-2-u_mergener-e1717414000253-300x188.jpg\")
Did you miss the warning signals?<\/b><\/h4>\n
![\"F126.](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/MFO-Header-Beitrag-840x428-px-%E2%80%93-167-300x153.jpg\")
Ways out of the situation<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Meko-A200_TKMS-1024x667.jpg\")
![\"Concept](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/MFO-Header-Beitrag-840x428-px-%E2%80%93-118-1-300x153.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Meko-A200_TKMS-e1753812632595-300x150.jpg\")
\nFloating UPSs<\/strong> are revolutionising naval warfare through reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface combat. Their ability to operate in dangerous environments and provide real-time intelligence is invaluable. The war in Ukraine has impressively demonstrated the combat value of disposable drones and accelerated their development. The prototype of the American \"Sea Hunter\" UAV is being built at a cost of 20 million US dollars, with operating costs estimated at 15,000 to 20,000 US dollars per day - a fraction of the cost of a frigate.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/The-autonomous-uncrewed-BlueWhale-ASW-submarine-e1683803416935-300x134.jpg\")
From the frigate crisis to a technological awakening<\/b><\/h4>\n