Transportation of Goods by Sea - The commencement of constructing the "Niedersachsen" frigate takes place at Pistorius shipyard.
After a six-month construction period, the initial vessel of the F126 class frigates was laid down in Wolgast. The frigate will be named after Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' home federal state, known as Niedersachsen, as well as an important Bundeswehr base, he remarked at the keel-laying ceremony on Monday at the Peene shipyard. This significant milestone was celebrated by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Minister President Manuela Schwesig (SPD), Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD), and participating industry partners.
The large combat ships of the F126 class are intended to be the largest in the German Navy, and they also hold the distinction of being the most costly shipbuilding project in the Bundeswehr's history, with an overall cost exceeding five billion euros. The total price tag may rise higher. According to Pistorius, "We need six of these frigates instead of just four."
The need to expedite the Bundeswehr's readiness to engage in combat is of utmost importance, the Minister commented. "It's the Turnaround, so we must continue to invest in the fleet of the future immediately, not in the future and not the day after tomorrow, so we can defend what may be essential in the upcoming years," he elaborated. The Fregatte 126 serves as a representative emblem of this goal. "With six F126-type frigates, we'll not only be combat-ready but also resilient."
An official proposal supporting the construction of a fifth and sixth frigate had already been submitted to the parliament. Likewise, Minister President Schwesig embraced Pistorius' proposal: "That would be an essential signal for the Navy, the military shipbuilding industry, and the location itself."
The industry is likewise prepared to construct additional two frigates. "We're well-prepared and ready to greatly enhance production," stated Tim Wagner, managing director of the NVL Group.
These warships are meant to be deployable on a global scale and equipped to meet the demands of three-dimensional naval warfare. The F126 is capable of engaging targets underwater, above water, and in the air with the most advanced weaponry, as explained by Pistorius. Under the leadership of the Dutch shipyard Damen Shipyards in Wolgast, Kiel, and Hamburg, these four warships are intended to primarily be constructed in Germany. It is scheduled that the now laid-down frigate will be delivered to the Navy in 2028.
