Braunschweig-class corvette

Braunschweig-class corvette
Corvette Magdeburg (F 261)
Class overview
Operators:	German Navy
Built:	2004–2007
In commission:	2008–
Planned:	5
Completed:	5
Active:	5
General characteristics
Type:	Corvette
Displacement:	1,840 tonnes (1,810 long tons)
Length:	89.12 m (292 ft 5 in)
Beam:	13.28 m (43 ft 7 in)
Draft:	3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:	MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 diesel engines producing 14.8MW, driving two controllable-pitch propellers.
Speed:	26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range:	4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Endurance:	7 days; 21 days with tender
Complement:	65 : 1 commander, 10 officers, 16 chief petty officers, 38 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	• TRS-3D multifunction radar • 2 navigation radars • MSSR 2000 i IFF system • MIRADOR electro-optical sensors • UL 5000 K ESM suite • Link 11 and Link 16 communications
Electronic warfare & decoys:	• 2 × TKWA/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) decoy launcher • UL 5000 K ECM suite
Armament:	Guns; 1 x Otobreda 76 mm gun 2 x MLG 27 mm autocannons Anti-ship; 4 x RBS-15 Mk.3 Anti-ship missiles CIWS; 2 x 21-cell RAM CIWS missile launchers Mine laying capability;
Aircraft carried:	Helicopter pad and hangar for two Camcopter S-100

The K130 Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. They supplement the Gepard-class fast attack craft that are currently used.

Technical details

They feature reduced radar and infra-red signature ("stealth" beyond the Sachsen class frigate) and will be equipped with two helicopter UAVs for remote sensing. Recently, the German Navy ordered a first batch of 6 Camcopter S-100 UAVs for the use on the Braunschweig class corvettes. Also the German Army plans to procure the Camcopter S-100 for land-based missions. 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.

Originally the K130-class was supposed to be armed with the naval version of the Polyphem missile, an optical fiber-guided missile with a range of 60 km, which at the time was under development. The Polyphem program was canceled in 2003 and instead the designers chose to equip the class with the RBS-15. While the RBS-15 has a much greater range (250 km), the current version mounted on the ships, Mk3, lacks the ECM-resistant video feedback of the Polyphem. 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) and a dual seeker for increased resistance to electronic countermeasures.

Difficulty of Classification

Vessels of this class do not have an executive officer (German language: Erster Offizier). Traditionally, in the Germany navy this was used as a rule to classify a vessel as a boat, not a ship. In a press release the German Navy states that these corvettes will be called ships nonetheless because of their size, armament and endurance. The commanding officer wields the same disciplinary power as a German Army company commander, not that of a battalion commander as is the case with the larger German warships such as frigates. However, in size, armament, protection and role these corvettes resemble modern Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW) frigates, the main difference being the total absence of any Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) related sensors or weapons.

Technical problems

The new lightweight gearing of the corvettes has experienced severe problems. Until the Swiss contractor for the gearing, MAAG of Winterthur, Switzerland, for whom this was the first contract with the German Navy, can remedy the constructional deficiencies which have been identified early in the operation of the first vessels the commissioning of the three not yet commissioned corvettes has been delayed. They, as well as the first two already commissioned units, are currently laid up and unable to go to sea until the projected changes to the gearing have been effected. New issues have occurred with air conditioning system, gears, toxic exposition by the exhaust system and missile system. While the corvettes were originally projected to be commissioned between May 2007 and February 2009 operational capability is currently expected for 2014.

Ship list

The ships were not actually built at a single shipyard. Sections were constructed at different locations at the same time and later married together. The table lists the yard where the keel-laying ceremonies were held.

Pennant number	Name	Shipyard	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned
F260	Braunschweig	Blohm + Voss	December 3, 2004	April 19, 2006	April 16, 2008
F261	Magdeburg	Lürssen-Werft	May 19, 2005	September 6, 2006	September 22, 2008
F262	Erfurt	Nordseewerke	September 22, 2005	March 29, 2007	February 28, 2013
F263	Oldenburg	Blohm + Voss	January 19, 2006	June 28, 2007	January 21, 2013
F264	Ludwigshafen am Rhein	Lürssen-Werft	April 14, 2006	September 26, 2007	March 21, 2013

Images

Corvette (F 260) Braunschweig

Corvette (F 261) Magdeburg

Corvette (F 263) Oldenburg

Corvette (F 264)
Ludwigshafen am Rhein

See also

• USS Independence (LCS-2)
  USS Freedom (LCS-1)
  Sea Fighter
  Sea Shadow (IX-529)
• La Fayette class frigate
• Visby class corvette
• F125 class frigate
  Sachsen class frigate
• Milgem class corvette
• Type 056 corvette
• Steregushchy class corvette

External links

• Korvette Braunschweig-Klasse @ Marine (official homepage of the German Navy)
• Manufacturer's website