German corvette Köln

Köln (F265) is the sixth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

For other ships with the same name, see German ship Köln.
Braunschweig-class corvette
History
Germany
NameKöln
NamesakeKöln
OrderedSeptember 2017
BuilderLürssen-Werft, Bremen
Cost€400 million
Laid down25 April 2019
Launched30 October 2020
CommissionedExpected, 2025
IdentificationPennant number: F265
StatusSea trials
General characteristics
TypeBraunschweig-class corvette
Displacement1,840 tonnes (1,810 long tons)
Length89.12 m (292 ft 5 in)
Beam13.28 m (43 ft 7 in)
Draft3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion2 MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 diesel engines producing 14.8MW, driving two controllable-pitch propellers.
Speed26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)[1]
Endurance7 days; 21 days with tender
Complement65 : 1 commander, 10 officers, 16 chief petty officers, 38 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carriedHelicopter pad and hangar for two Saab Skeldar

Developments
Main article: Braunschweig-class corvette

The K130 Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. Five ships have replaced the Gepard-class fast attack craft of the German Navy.

They feature reduced radar and infrared signatures ("stealth" beyond the Sachsen-class frigates) and will be equipped with two helicopter UAVs for remote sensing. Recently, the German Navy ordered a first batch of two UMS Skeldar V-200 systems for the use on the Braunschweig-class corvettes.[2] The hangar is too small for standard helicopters, but the pad is large enough for Sea Kings, Lynx, or NH-90s, the helicopters of the German Navy.

The German Navy has ordered the RBS-15 Mk4 in advance, which will be a future development of the Mk3 with increased range —400 km (250 mi)— and a dual seeker for increased resistance to electronic countermeasures.[3] The RBS-15 Mk3 has the capability to engage land targets.[4]

In October 2016 it was announced that a second batch of five more frigates is to be procured from 2022 to 2025.[5] The decision was in response to NATO requirements expecting Germany to provide a total of four corvettes at the highest readiness level for littoral operations by 2018, and with only five corvettes just two can be provided.[6]

In September 2017, the German Navy commissioned the construction of five more corvettes in a consortium of North German shipyards. Lürssen will be the main contractor in the production of the vessels. The contract is worth around 2 billion euros.[7][8] In April 2018, the German government announced the specific arrangements under which the five new K130s would be built.[9][10]

Construction and career

Köln's construction started in February and later laid down on 25 April 2019 by Lürssen-Werft in Bremen.[11] Her forecastle was built by Blohm+Voss and towed to Bremen to be assembled and launched on 20 October 2020.[12][13] She had been expected to be commissioned in 2023. However, in September 2022 it was reported that increasing difficulties in integrating the command and control systems for the Batch 2 ships had resulted in a cost growth of 401 million Euros and at least a two year delay for the completion of Köln.[14]

As of 31 October 2020, she was fitting out at Hamburg.[15] She began initial sea trials in July 2023, though her projected full in service date likely remained 2025.[16]

References
  1. "Corvette Braunschweig Handed Over" (Press release). ThyssenKrupp AG. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  2. BAAINBw Procures New Helicopter Drones for the Navy, Baainbw, 27 September 2018, retrieved 2 March 2019.
  3. "de:Neue Aufgaben der Marine mit moderner Ausrüstung" (in German). German Navy. 17 May 2004. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  4. German Navy K130 Corvettes Ready for Saab RBS-15 Mk3 Anti-Ship Missiles, Navy recognition, 8 June 2016.
  5. "Fünf neue Korvetten für die Bundeswehr", Faz.
  6. "German Navy to Get Five More K130 Braunschweig-class Corvettes", Navy recognition, 14 November 2016.
  7. "Germany awards €2.4bln contract for five new K130 corvettes". Naval Today.
  8. Kopp, Martin (13 September 2017). "Riesenauftrag von Bundeswehr: Blohm+Voss auf Jahre gerettet" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt.
  9. "Four Shipyards Agree to Build New German Corvettes". www.defense-aerospace.com. April 9, 2018.
  10. "Wie Blohm+Voss vom Bau neuer Korvetten profitiert". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). 6 April 2018.
  11. "First Steel Cut for German Navy's Third K130 Batch 2 Corvette 'Karlsruhe'". Naval News. 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  12. "Vor- und Hinterschiff vereint: Korvette komplett! | Regional". bild.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  13. chiefdeunavy [@chiefdeunavy] (16 October 2020). "Ich habe noch eine richtig gute Nachricht zum Wochenende. Die Korvette #KÖLN #F265 ist ausgedockt. #Esgehtvoran #WIRSINDMARINE t.co/xncbzBaSKc" (Tweet) (in German). Retrieved 4 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  14. "Germany's K130 Batch 2 Corvette Program 2 Years Behind Schedule". 17 October 2022.
  15. WarshipCam [@WarshipCam] (31 October 2020). "German Navy future Braunschweig-class corvette FGS Koln (F265) in Hamburg, Germany - taken from bridge cam of passing cruise ship - October 31, 2020 #koln #f265 t.co/C7sGtUPHm8" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  16. Groizeleau, Vincent (12 July 2023). "La nouvelle corvette allemande à la mer". Mer et Marine.
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