The third of overall four ships of the new F 125 frigate class of the German navy has been christened in a ceremony on March 4.
The FGS Sachsen-Anhalt, as the ship is named, was christened at the Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems yard in Hamburg, Germany.
Construction of the Sachsen-Anhalt started with the keel laying on April 8, 2014. The lead ship of the class, ‘Baden-Württemberg’ is expected to join the fleet mid-2017 at its future homeport in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
The four F 125 class frigates will replace the eight frigates of the F122-class, which will be gradually decommissioned. F 125 ships were specifically designed for contemporary and future tasks of the German navy. The traditional duties of state-defense were broadened to encompass conflict prevention, crisis response as well as international intervention and stabilization operations.
By the end of the decade, the four ships will be operated by a total of eight crews with a total of 120 personnel each. The Navy refers to this as the multiple-crew model where the eight crews will be operating as a closed team on a rotation principle.
The Navy hopes that the use of low-maintenance technology will allow the ships to stay deployed for up to two years at a time. The reduced transit times would thereby heighten the international presence of the German Navy.
With a length of 149 meters and a displacement of 7000 tonnes, the new frigates will be the biggest operational ships in the German Navy.