The Kiel shipyard TKMS and the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) have extended the preliminary contract for the construction of four new frigates.
The extension has been approved by the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag. For TKMS, this means continuing to reserve production capacity with subcontractors and suppliers. The shipyard can also order material, plant and equipment for the construction of the frigates while the final preparations for the construction contract are underway.
According to TKMS, the necessary intermediate steps, the formal drafting of the contract and the preparation of the parliamentary constitution are to be implemented “promptly”. The original preliminary contract, which was concluded at the beginning of February, covered procurement and work worth €50 million until the end of March; this period has now been extended. The purpose of the preliminary contract is to enable the delivery of the first ship in 2029 and to be able to make preparations for this now.
TKMS is building four “MEKO A-200” frigates for the German government. According to the shipyard, this model has proven itself internationally and offers an “excellent solution to strengthen the German Navy’s submarine hunting capabilities in the near future”.
The construction of the frigates is part of a dual strategy by the German government to equip the navy with new frigates. This is a change of course after the originally planned F126 program of German Naval Yards in cooperation with the Dutch Damen Group could not be realized. After planning difficulties and mainly due to time constraints, TKMS came into play as an alternative. According to the current status, a combination of both programs should cover the navy’s requirements. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in February that the F126 would not be abandoned.
