K130 class Korvette Braunschweig christened
- Thread starter ger_mark
- Start date
Revival of an old thread since there are news:
On April 16th, the Bundesmarine finally commissioned the first K130 Braunschweig class korvette. The next four are to follow until somewhere in 2009.
On Wed 23rd, the ship began it's first deployment heading to Sicily for an exercise and afterwards to the red sea for further warm water testing. She will return at the end of june.
The 89m ship has a crew of 58 and is fully networked. The cost was 208 m € (currently $324,5m).
On April 16th, the Bundesmarine finally commissioned the first K130 Braunschweig class korvette. The next four are to follow until somewhere in 2009.
On Wed 23rd, the ship began it's first deployment heading to Sicily for an exercise and afterwards to the red sea for further warm water testing. She will return at the end of june.
The 89m ship has a crew of 58 and is fully networked. The cost was 208 m € (currently $324,5m).
Three vessels have been launched to date, the F260, Braunschweig, the F261, Magdeburg, and the F262, Erfurt, launched on March 29, 2008. I believe the first two are already commissioned.
With the two RAM launchers they have very good self defense AAW capabilities, and the four mk3 RBS-15 missiles (fire and forget, 200km range, 200kg warhead) are a strong anti-surface componenet as well. It iis my understanding that the UAV capability is on indefinite hold and that they will carry a single medium sized helo.
The pics posted are not coming up for me. Here are a couple of others.
Actually, all five units are already in the water. Braunschweig 19/4/06, Magdeburg 6/9/07, Erfurt 29/3/07, Oldenburg 28/6/07, Ludwigshafen am Rhein 26/9/07.
Braunschweig was commisioned 16/4/08. The second is soon to follow. The rest should be undergoing sea trials or be in the final stage of outfitting.
30 RBS-15 should have been purchased I think. Later on, an Mk4 version with a new seeker and warhead to attack land targets will follow. This pack indeed a significant punch. However, I believe for a K130 like ship, the original plan to outfit it with Polyphem missiles was more appropriat. While the heavy attack missions were bettered carried out by the F 125 later on. Unfortunately the programm was canceled back in '03.
While the flight deck supports one "man carrying helo", the hanger, wich was supposed to host the two UAVs, does not.
The UAVs were postponed because of financial reasons.
Bad thing, since this takes away the primary recon assets of the ships. I think that's a critical reduction of overall performance.