A concept graphic of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems' MEKO A-400 AMD frigate design, which the company wants to be adopted as the German Navy's Type 127 air-defence frigate. (tkMS)
The budget committee of the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, has officially green lighted the procurement of Type 127 air-defence frigates for the German Navy.
Funding for the Type 127 project was approved at the budget committee's final session of 2024, held on 18 December, the German Ministry of Defence confirmed the same day.
The German Navy's Type 127 project envisages a new class of up to six air-defence frigates (five, with an option for a sixth) to replace the service's three Sachsen (Type 124)-class ships, which were commissioned between 2004 and 2006 and are scheduled for retirement from the early 2030s.
Capabilities are to include ballistic and hypersonic missile defence as well as a precision-strike capability. The ships will also be integrated with the US Aegis combat management system.
Following parliamentary approval to start the Type 127 project, a selection decision is expected in early 2025 followed by a contract later in the year, with delivery planned from about 2034.
German shipbuilder thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tKMS) is poised to lead the programme. In September 2024 tKMS and NVL Group (Naval Vessels Lürssen) announced a joint venture and co-operation agreement to bid for the programme based on tKMS' MEKO A-400 AMD (air and missile defence) design. tKMS has previously indicated that if its design proposal is selected, construction of the new frigates could begin as early as 2025.
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