Corvette K130

Braunschweig class

The Braunschweig

Ship data country  Germany Ship type corvette Construction period Since 2004 Launch of the type ship April 19, 2006 Units built 5 + 5 under construction period of service Since 2008

Ship dimensions and crew length 89.12 m ( Lüa ) width 13.28 m Draft Max. 3.4 m displacement 1840  t   crew 58 people ( StAN : 65)

Machine system machine 2 × diesel MTU 1163 20V Machine performance 14,800 kW (20,122 hp) Top speed 26 kn (48 km / h) propeller 2 variable pitch propellers

Armament 1 × Sk 7.6 cm L / 62 2 × Mk 2.7 cm 2 × Mk.49 with 21 LfK RIM 116 RAM 2 × 2 LfK Saab RBS15 Mk.3 Sensors TRS-3D multifunction radar UL 5000 K

The class 130 ( also called the Braunschweig class after the type ship ) is a warship class of the German Navy . The five corvettes to date form the 1st Corvette Squadron at the Warnemünde naval base . The ship type replaces the smaller missile speedboats of the Gepard class (143A) and can take over tasks on global missions that were previously carried out by larger units with higher personnel costs.

The main tasks of the corvettes are monitoring and reconnaissance of the surface situation as well as combating targets at sea and on land. Areas of application are in particular marginal seas and coastal waters. The ships have sensors for telecommunications and electronic reconnaissance (SIGINT) and for imaging reconnaissance (IMINT). The inclusion of a remote controlled aerial reconnaissance system is planned, but not yet implemented. The main armament is the land-targetable anti-ship missile RBS15 Mk3 . Secondary abilities of the corvettes are the potential to disrupt enemy communication and the use as mine layers .

The start-up of the type ship Braunschweig took place on April 16, 2008. The plan to procure five more units was announced in autumn 2016 and the construction contract was signed on September 12, 2017.

Naming

The ships are named after major German cities that otherwise have no direct connection to the navy. Thus, an anchoring of the Navy in the whole country should be promoted. With the exception of Ludwigshafen am Rhein , all names were previously used by German warships. The class designation Braunschweig -class was first worn over 100 years ago by ships of the line of the Imperial Navy ( Braunschweig-Klasse ). The ships of the 2nd construction lot are all names steeped in tradition in the German navy. A steam corvette in Lübeck had already been bought in 1848 for the newly established Reichsflotte , the first German federal fleet. All the names of the ships in the second lot were already carried by units of the F122 .

development

Beginnings

The 1995 departmental concept envisaged 15 corvettes as replacements for the class 143 and 143A speedboats . The realization was less due to a lack of money than to conceptual differences of opinion in the command of the Navy and the armaments department. The definition phase did not begin until June 1998, which then led to the signing of the procurement contract for the construction of five units of the Class 130 (K130) corvette at the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) on December 13, 2001 . The contractor was ARGE K130 , which was made up of three shipyards. The Fr. Lürssen shipyard in Bremen built the aft ship, Nordseewerke Emden built the front ship and Blohm + Voss in Hamburg built the superstructure. When assembling the pre-equipped production blocks, the partners took turns, with the respective shipyard also being responsible for the final equipment and delivery.

Already before 2009 it was planned to procure another corvette class K131. These plans went into the multi-purpose combat ship 180 .

Construction delay and introduction

The Ludwigshafen am Rhein 2013 in the Norderwerft

After the acceptance of the first two corvettes in 2008, their use and the commissioning of the other ships were delayed due to technical malfunctions and defects. In particular, the performance of the machine, the function of the steering system and the computer-controlled on-board systems did not meet the parameters required by the Navy and had to be revised. At the Braunschweig site , on a test drive in the Kiel Canal, ground contact with the stone canal embankment occurred, which caused serious damage to one of the two propellers. Repair parts were used by the other corvettes under construction, which in turn delayed their completion.

Delays of three years resulted from significant defects in the gearbox supplied by the Swiss manufacturer MAAG. In 2009 all ships of the series had to be decommissioned. During a test drive in Oldenburg , a loose screw caused severe gearbox damage. As a result, all Corvettes received modified transmissions.

In February 2011, during a test run of the Magdeburg off the coast of Norway, it was found that mold and condensation had formed in the ship because mistakes had been made in the construction of the air conditioning. This meant that all five corvettes had to be revised again. According to the television magazine Panorama , there should have been problems with the couplings of the gearboxes on the Corvettes Oldenburg and Ludwigshafen am Rhein during shipyard test drives at the end of May 2011 .

In June 2012, more issues became public. As a result of the insulation of the exhaust systems, formaldehyde was emitted during operation when the ship was in the ABC-locked state . Since limit values ​​were exceeded in this state , the engine room was only allowed to be entered with a respirator . The Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) was already aware of this when the boats were taken over; It was planned to replace the insulation during the next shipyard repair. In the meantime, the engine rooms can be entered without protective equipment in the interests of occupational safety . In addition, it became known that the missile armament still required improvements.

In September 2012, the Magdeburg sailed to the Eastern Mediterranean to take part in Operation UNIFIL , making it the first class 130 corvette to take part in a mission abroad.

The Ludwigshafen am Rhein was put into service on March 21, 2013 as the last corvette of the first batch with a delay of about six years. The armaments report of the Federal Ministry of Defense from spring 2016 names a cost increase of 117 million euros or 12% compared to the original estimate for the first five ships.

Under the direction of the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Federal Armed Forces (BAAINBw) work will continue on further developments and retrofitting even after the introduction of the type. There was an initiative to improve self-protection due to the lack of fire control radar , and heavy machine guns with bullet protection were retrofitted. Another issue is increasing the accommodation capacity for staff.

Second construction lot

By 2016, the planning envisaged a need for five more corvettes from 2030. After it became known that the order for the planned multi-purpose combat ship 180 had been delayed , the two spokesmen for the government factions in the Bundestag's budget committee , Eckhardt Rehberg (CDU) and Johannes Kahrs (SPD), announced the plan to procure five additional ships for the Braunschweig -Class for a total of 1.5 billion euros. Two ships should be put into service by 2019 and all five by 2023. The reason for the new acquisition are the new security challenges in the Baltic Sea region, in the Mediterranean and in global terms. The resulting NATO demands on Germany to provide five corvettes, some of them in full operational readiness, first became known in July 2016. In order to achieve a quick project flow, the contract should be awarded to the suppliers of the first construction lot in a negotiated procedure without a call for competition . In order to achieve a uniform state of construction for all ten corvettes, obsolescence will be removed from the older ships .

The procurement of the second lot was discussed controversially, as the last armament report of the Bundeswehr did not specify the need for five more of these units and Rehberg also has his constituency in Warnemünde, where the ships would be stationed; in Kahr's constituency in Hamburg, the ships would be built by Blohm and Voss. In May 2017, the German Naval Yards shipyard, which is not involved in the procurement procedure , obtained the first instance to stop the procedure from the Federal Procurement Chamber .

After the budget was approved by the budget committee, the contract between BAAINBw and the shipyard consortium was signed on September 12, 2017. The German Naval Yards shipyard, which had previously prevented construction, was accepted into the construction consortium (Arge K130); the ships are to be delivered to the German Navy in the period from 2022 to 2025. Two foreships are being built at the Lürssen shipyard in Bremen, the remaining three foreships are being manufactured and pre-equipped at German Naval Yards in Kiel. The five aft aisles are manufactured at the Peene shipyard in Wolgast, which is part of the Lürssen Group . The assembly of the segments, the final equipment of the corvettes as well as their commissioning, testing and handover to the Navy take place at Blohm + Voss in Hamburg.

On July 18, 2018, Federal Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen approved the Navy's proposal to baptize the five new corvettes in Cologne , Emden , Karlsruhe , Augsburg and Lübeck . Associated with this is a sponsorship of the cities with the respective ship, all of which are given names that were already used by ships of the Bremen class . The first steel cut of the Cologne took place in February 2019, the keel was laid in April of the same year. The completion of the fore and aft ship is scheduled for 2020, the first shipyard test drive in August 2022 and the delivery of the Cologne to the German Navy in November of the same year. The further keel laying should take place in the above-mentioned order successively by December 2020.

Instead of the TRS-3D radar from the first batch, the ships in the second batch will receive the newer model TRS-4D Rotator , also from Hensoldt , and instead of the 76/62 Compact, the 76/62 Super Rapid from Leonardo .

Mission concept

The Ludwigshafen with RBS15 -Flugkörpern behind the main mast (Oct 2016)

According to the preliminary operational concept K130, which was issued in 2007 by the then Inspector of the Navy, the class 130 corvettes are designed for multinational and armed forces as well as worldwide in missions for international conflict prevention and crisis management, including the fight against international terrorism and piracy, to contribute. This includes the enforcement in surface combat of the highest intensity including the combat against targets on land. The corvettes are primarily designed for maritime surveillance, with the ability to attack targets on land and on the water.

The K130 is a new weapon system for the German Navy in terms of size. It does not reach the high speed of the speedboats, but has a more stable sea behavior and better endurance. She can do without a provider for seven days. With subsequent supply by a tender, the sea endurance increases to 21 days. The class 143A speedboats did not have such capabilities . Compared to larger ships, however, the standing time is short. The frigates F123 and F124 achieve a sea endurance of 21 days without aftercare, a Type 45 destroyer 45 days and a cruiser of the Ticonderoga class 60 days. In contrast to larger units, the K130 is only designed as a two-watch system. A three-watch system over several days is possible, but puts a strain on the crew. Against the background of the higher load, the 1st Corvette Squadron calculates with 21 days of uninterrupted standing time at sea before, in the optimal case, the Corvette calls at a port for a recovery phase of about 3 to 5 days.

Due to the multi-crew concept intended for this class, the operating times can be increased significantly. The arrival and departure times in distant sea areas such as the Mediterranean or Indian Ocean occur less often and are therefore less important. The Erfurt set a record on June 11, 2016, when it returned to its home port of Warnemünde after only 17 months.

technology

Deployment system

Bridge of the Braunschweig

See also : Combat Direction System (CDS) of the Sachsen class

The Combat Direction System (CDS) forms the "brain" of the K130 and is comparable to the Aegis combat system . It consists of consoles, interface computers and networks as well as operating systems and operational software. The CDS is based on the fully distributed computer architecture first introduced in the F124 frigates . The CDS controls and monitors all weapons and sensors on the basis of commercially available computers (COTS) and processes the data from its own sensors and external sources fully automatically, creates the situation report and displays it. The threat from the recorded targets is calculated and displayed by the CDS on the basis of ESM activation, kinematics, emitter parameters, position, etc. Sensors and weapons can be linked to function chains and used fully automatically. The on-board sensors include the TRS-3D radar, the SIGINT system UL 5000 K, two EO / IR cameras of the “Mirador” type, two navigation radars and the IFF radar MSSR 2000I.

For the first time on German naval units, the operations center (OPZ) is operated as a bright room OPZ. A new lighting concept was developed for this purpose. In the OPZ, all available situation information, including that of the ship's technology, comes together and can be displayed on seven multifunctional consoles, each with two 21 "TFT monitors and a large-screen display. These consoles are fully redundant. A redundant real-time network and a non- Realtime networks enable the digital data exchange of the sensors and weapons with the CDS consoles in the OPZ and on the integrated bridge. Video images of the sensors and weapons are distributed to all connected consoles and workstations via an additional video bus. In addition to the F124 architecture, an on-board intranet is integrated, which connects the sub-networks of the K130 on board.

The concept of the integrated bridge of the K130 is based on the concept of the one-man bridge of modern merchant ships. The devices, displays and screens on the bridge are combined into a compact system according to modern ergonomic criteria. In addition to the navigational situation, the ship's data, all information from the ship's technical area and the complete picture of the CDS are displayed on the six screens of the integrated bridge.

Sensors

TRS-3D / 16

→ Main article : TRS-3D

The TRS-3D / 16 was manufactured by EADS and works in the C-band (4–8 GHz). The radar consists of a 1.2 m × 0.4 m small rectangular antenna at the top of the mast, which weighs 340 kg. The antenna is passively phased in the vertical . For this purpose, the transmission signal, which is generated in a traveling wave tube , is transmitted through 16 lines of 46 modules each. The radar performs sidelobe suppression and can change the transmission characteristics such as pulse length, pulse repetition rate, polarization and frequency from transmission pulse to transmission pulse, the transmission frequency being selected by pseudo random .

The radar has two plot extractors , one for aerial and the other for ground targets. The plot extractors can determine EloGM and then select the least disturbed frequency. The radar can automatically classify helicopters, but otherwise has no ability for non-cooperative target identification (NCTI) or friend-foe recognition (IFF). The friend-foe recognition is perceived by the MSSR 2000I, which is not part of the TRS-3D. The radar can track up to 300 sea and air targets simultaneously. The pencil beam radar beam normally covers 20 ° to 70 ° in elevation (short-range mode), but can also form a broad lobe with 7.5 ° in azimuth in the range from 0 ° to 15 ° elevation (long-range mode ). In the surveillance mode against aircraft, seven superimposed beam positions from 0 ° to 45 ° are selected with variable transmission energy. The radar can interlock the various transmission modes.

Low- flying anti-ship missiles can be detected in 15–20 km, combat aircraft at 10 ° elevation in around 60 to 75 km, anti-ship missiles at 10 ° in around 42 km. In self-defense mode, the antenna rotates at 30 / min, in clutter-rich surroundings at 17 / min. In monitoring mode, the rate of rotation is only 10 / min, but the detection range against combat aircraft increases to 110 km.

UL 5000 K

Main mast with collar, below the spreaders with dipoles, below the radomes

The UL 5000 K is a system for electronic warfare and combines telecommunications intelligence (COMINT), electronic intelligence (ELINT), electronic support measures (EloUM) and electronic countermeasures (EloGM) in one system. The antenna complex uses systems from EADS, the Spanish company Indra and the South African company Grintek. In addition to generous data processing capacity, the Maigret 5000, SPS-N-5000, KJS-N-5000 and individual components from Telegon are integrated.

The main mast, with the TRS-3D on top, has a collar underneath. This contains six SPS-N-5000 antennas for electronic reconnaissance (ELINT) in the band from 2 to 18 GHz. The DF accuracy should be 2 °, the sensitivity of the antennas at −80 dBm (10 ⁻¹¹ watts). It is conceivable that the frequency range above, up to 40 GHz, will be covered by the small antennas under the radomes . These also belong to the SPS-N-5000 and consist of a horizontally rotating, vertical spiral antenna . These SIGINT antennas for electronic reconnaissance (ELINT) and telecommunications reconnaissance (e.g. K _u -band radar or K _a -band SATCOM ) have a DF accuracy of 1 °  RMS and a sensitivity of at least −120 dBm (10 ⁻¹⁵  watts) . Are under the collar, to the spreaders of the front and rear mast dipoles installed. Five dipoles cover the frequency band from 200 to 1000 MHz (UHF band). The frequency range from 1.5 to 200 MHz should (as of 2006) be covered by cage antennas, and that from 1 to 3 GHz by a lower-lying second collar. Thanks to their high sensitivity, the antennas can also locate signals with Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) properties. Since the second collar is not visible, the antenna system for 1–3 GHz was probably relocated to the rear mast, and the frequency range from 1.5–200 MHz was covered by masts with rod antennas distributed around the ship in order to be able to locate emitters by triangulation . The forest of antennas becomes even more confusing because HF antennas have also been added to compensate for bearing errors caused by the mass of your own ship.

Aft mast with grid antenna and dipoles, further rod antennas behind

The KJS-N-5000 jammer is based on the Cicada R and operates in the frequency range of 6-18 GHz. The jammer comes from Germany from EADS, the antenna from Indra. The system uses either a phased array antenna or a parabolic antenna. Several destinations can be disrupted in the time-sharing process. These are DRFM -based gate pull-off techniques and pulsed noise interference available. Cicada R uses the two large radomes port and starboard of the main mast. Furthermore, the communication jamming system Cicada C was integrated, which is used on land in the Hummel radio dancer . The antennas, dipoles distributed over the ship, interfere between 1 MHz and 3 GHz, mainly in the VHF and UHF bands.

Antenna forest with rod antennas on masts; right in the corner of the MASS launcher

The data from the high-frequency system is processed by an RPA-2746 processor, which can process 4 million pulses per second, identifies the transmitter and displays the angle to the emitter over time. The signal processing of the telecommunication reconnaissance of the Maigret 5000 works as in the previous versions: In order to overcome the frequency hopping procedure , up to a billion channels per second can be scanned and four channels can be processed in parallel (i.e. listened to). Since the direction to the signal is also determined (possibly with 3.5 ° RMS), ESM and COMINT are merged in a database. In order to reduce the operator's workload, non-threats are filtered out. Up to 512 emitters can be tracked at the same time, which are compared using a database containing over 10,000 entries. The operator works with an emitter database that contains over 256 entries and is supplemented by a database with 144 threat transmission modes. Angle, interception time, amplitude, frequency, pulse interval, pulse width and search pattern are determined in real time. When extracting data streams, also with LPI characteristics, the angle, interception time, amplitude, modulation , channel coding (possibly also encryption), communication and network protocol are determined. The system then uses a powerful database to classify the data links and networks, analyze the data traffic and determine call signs. All collected electronic data is demodulated and the content (language, data, images) is stored in mass storage devices .

In order to improve telecommunications and electronic reconnaissance , all recorded data are merged. Emitters are localized by triangulation and target motion analysis (TMA) and their motion vector is determined. A database then determines the threat level.

On-board drones

Since the beginning of the planning, the stationing of one or two remotely controlled reconnaissance drones per corvette has been planned, which are to operate from the helicopter deck. In addition to reconnaissance and target data acquisition at close range, its importance lies in the better utilization of the capabilities of the anti-ship missile RBS15 MK3, whose range extends beyond the ship's sensor horizon. The far-reaching reconnaissance and effect were intended to compensate for the speed disadvantage of the corvettes compared to the speedboats.

In 2008 the Navy successfully completed tests of the Camcopter S-100 helicopter drone from the Austrian company Schiebel . However, there was no procurement. A new procurement process with an expanded field of candidates started in 2013 and should (as of 2017) lead to a deployment in 2019. In 2017 there was a tender for the procurement of a single system, which is to include two aircraft and one control unit, which was decided in favor of the Skeldar V200 in 2018 . The contract also includes the integration of the system into the corvettes, the training of the operating personnel and a spare parts package. According to the Navy, this procurement is intended to gain experience with unmanned helicopter drones and to procure a final system based on this experience.

Armament

In addition to the main armament listed below, the ships of the Braunschweig class also carry two MLG 27 revolver cannons for speedboat defense, as well as two MASS decoys and a number of handguns.

Anti-ship missile

Empty racks for the RBS15 starter containers

→ Main article : RBS15

Four heavy anti-ship missiles of the Swedish-German type RBS15 Mk3 form the main armament of a corvette. They are placed amidships in launch containers on the deck. The fire-and-forget weapon, which is also suitable for combating stationary land targets, has a range of over 200 kilometers and is controlled by an active radar seeker as well as by GPS and an inertial navigation system.

Initially, the plan was to accommodate the Polyphemus missile on the boats. With a range of 60 km and control via a fiber optic cable, in addition to the effect, reconnaissance would have been possible. After France and Italy left the program, the program ended because Germany was unable to bring Polyphem to series production on its own. Since the German Navy wants to replace its aging fleet of anti-ship missiles of the Exocet MM38 and RGM-84 Harpoon types with the RBS15 Mark 3 and Mark 4, the Braunschweig class made the start.

During the first attempts at shooting the RBS15 Mk3 on board the Magdeburg at the end of May 2013 off Sweden, two missiles with telemetry probes sank instead of a warhead: the first missile immediately, the second after nine and a half minutes of scheduled flight. Because of the production errors, the missiles ordered were then improved at the manufacturer's expense. The missile's renewed operational test took place on April 28, 2015 on the Magdeburg off Sweden. Here the missile was successfully shot down and brought to the target. The corvettes are then gradually equipped with the new main armament. After qualifying for use against sea targets, the RBS15 has also been approved for combating land targets since June 2016. In 2015 the Navy had 25 combat missiles and 4 telemetry missiles for its 5 corvettes.

As a target, naval planners name the additional equipment of each corvette with four medium anti-ship missiles that have yet to be procured .

Gun turret

Forward of the Magdeburg with the front RAM launcher (left) and gun turret

→ Main article : 76/62 Compact

Oto Melara's 76 mm gun is located on the foredeck in front of the RAM launcher. The towers were taken over by decommissioned speedboats. The weapon 62 caliber lengths verschießt a wide range of ammunition with a cadence of up to 85 / min and a muzzle velocity of 925 m / s. The effective range against sea targets is 8000 m, against air targets up to 5000 m. The gun barrel can be moved 35 ° / s in elevation in a range of + 85 ° / −15 °. The rotation speed of the tower is 60 ° / s. The mass is reduced through the use of light metal, the housing is made of GRP . The small muzzle brake reduces recoil by 35%.

The gun works as follows: Below deck is a double loading ring with a capacity of 70 shells, which are moved from the outer to the inner ring by the rotating movement of the loading device. On the left-hand side there is a 6-shot drum above it, which forms the intermediate magazine. This feeds a screw conveyor in the rotation axis of the tower, which guides the ammunition vertically upwards. Once at the top, the bullets are picked up by two loading levers. The loading levers swivel alternately (that is, when one moves up, the other swings down) behind the breech and deploy the grenade. If the shot is fired and the weapon system returns, the loading arm catches the ejected case and the other starts a new grenade when it is retrieved. The shells are ejected forward from the turret. High-explosive projectiles with impact or proximity fuses were procured as live ammunition.

Close-range defense system

→ Main article : RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile

The guided missile system Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is used for close-range defense of the Corvette K130 . The ships have two rotating RAM starters with 21 cells each for RIM-116 missiles, one between the gun turret and the bridge, the other aft in front of the flight deck. The main task is to intercept enemy anti-ship missiles. For the first time, the Braunschweig class uses the Block 1B missile with HAS mode, which can also be used against helicopters, aircraft and surface targets with a software update. The extended options of the Block 2 version, which has been delivered since 2016, will be retrofitted to the corvettes.

The Mach 3 fast RIM-116 missile is based on components of the AIM-9 Sidewinder and FIM-92 Stinger anti -aircraft missiles . He receives the target data from the ship's combat system before it is shot down, and then independently pursues the target as a fire-and-forget weapon with passive radar and infrared seekers. The range given in the early versions was 9 km. According to the manufacturer, Block 2 has a 50% increased range and significantly better agility. A launcher can fire different versions of the missile.

Mine rails

If necessary, four mine rails can be set up and loaded on the flight deck in order to use the corvette as a mine layer. Mine-laying planning capacity is already provided in the Combat Direction System (CDS) . It is not publicly known which sea ​​mines can be provided, the following are conceivable:

Three DM51 anti-invasion mines on mine tracks in the Naval Museum

• Anchor rope DM11: was also used on the speedboats. The classic shape of a spiky ball, with an anchor mass, which allows the ball with a diameter of 830 mm to float over a steel cable in the water. Depth of operation up to 300 m, contact or remote ignition, 550 kg explosive. Introduced in 1968.
• Base mine DM41: Primarily designed for use by submarines, but should also be able to be brought into the water by surface ships. The cylinder has dimensions of 0.5 × 2.3 m. The total mass is 770 kg, of which 535 kg are warhead mass. Can be ignited by contact, magnetism, acoustics, pressure or remotely. The mine is non-magnetic.
• Base mine DM51: anti-invasion mine for the destruction of landing craft, was produced from 1982 to 1990. Depending on the source, it has an acoustic or magnetic igniter, but can also be ignited remotely. 0.7 m diameter and 0.3 m length, weight 110 kg, of which 60 kg are explosives.
• Basic mine DM61: The most modern model from Atlas Elektronik , produced from 1990 to 1993 for the speedboat fleet . A cylindrical body weighing 750 kg (diameter 0.6 m, length 2 m) with anti-sabotage and anti-clearance properties. The mine has three sensors: acoustic, magnetic and hydrodynamic (pressure). A microprocessor either uses the channels individually or merges the information from the sensors. The mine contains a database of ship signatures adapted to the local environment in order to only attack certain targets. The mine estimates the distance to the target and explodes at the optimal distance. A reconnaissance variant of the mine can be used to collect signatures from potential targets. The data processing filters out disturbing environmental effects such as the tidal range . The microprocessor's program is divided into real-time data (signal processing, operating system) and mission data (preferred targets, sensor combination, delay before arming, ship counter, etc.). The mine needs an inspection about every four years, during which new data (e.g. target libraries) are exchanged.

General

Signature and stamina

The Ludwigshafen with black painted surfaces when exhaust outlet above the waterline

The K130 class corvettes are based on the MEKO-A design. Mast and weapon modules as well as pallet systems in the operations center (OPZ) and in the OPZ equipment room were scaffolded. The modularization of the K130 has been expanded to include the modular foundation system (MFS) , which is particularly flat and is used where there is not enough space or room height to install complete pallet modules.

Since the activities of the corvette require an undiscovered approach, special emphasis was placed on small signatures in the Braunschweig class. To reduce the radar signature, the surfaces, especially on the sides of the boat, were set at different angles. This X-shape in combination with a number of other measures results in a significant reduction and scattering of the radar echo over the entire lateral and elevation angle range. Although the displacement of the K130 is almost five times greater than that of the Gepard-class speedboats , the radar cross-section is smaller. In order to reduce the IR signature, seawater is injected into the exhaust pipes of the diesel engines, which run horizontally to the sides of the boat and are located close to the water. As a result, the temperature of the exhaust gases is reduced to a value that was previously not achievable by air cooling.

As with the F124 frigates, the entire ship's technology is monitored and controlled by an Integrated Monitoring and Control System (IMCS) with over 7000 measuring points. The IMCS functionalities can be monitored and controlled at various points on the ship using notebooks . A fiber optic connection ensures remote monitoring and remote control of up to three additional corvettes in the port. This can reduce the number of guards in the port. The corvette has two ship security areas. A Battle Damage Control System (BDCS) is integrated in the IMCS to conduct the internal battle . The leakage and fire extinguishing systems can be operated remotely from the ship's control room or via the IMCS from group booths or by notebook. For remote firefighting, for example, there is a permanently installed pressurized water foam spray system in the engine rooms.

The intranet K130, as a redundant, ship-wide Fast Ethernet network, enables data exchange between individual sub-areas of ship technology, communication, deployment system, logistics and administration via modern firewalls and gateways . Graphics, e-mails, stocks or the status of systems and devices are provided via the intranet .

Propulsion system

Bulbous bow of Ludwigshafen am Rhein

The two drive diesel engines with an output of 7,400 kW each from MTU of the 1163 TB93 V20 type act on the gearboxes from MAAG, and from there on the two shafts with variable-pitch propellers . With the two completely separate drive trains, a total output of 14,800 kW is available. Each ship's diesel engine is 5.6 m long, 1.9 m wide, 2.9 m high and has a dry weight of 24.4 tons. The diesel uses the 232.7 liter displacement in the Miller cycle . The intake valve closes too early, so that the gas expands and cools slightly before the common rail injection presses the fuel into the combustion chambers, which lowers nitrogen oxide emissions . The maximum power is released at 1325 rpm. To what extent the acoustic signature of the diesel engines was reduced is unknown. The manufacturer offers a single and double elastic mounting.

The gearbox was initially one of the weak points of the drive: A drive shaft broke during the first test drives of the type ship Braunschweig , and in the spring it was damaged. The gearboxes come from the Swiss manufacturer MAAG, which relied on a (now insolvent) sub-supplier in Poland. As a result, the propulsion systems had to be repaired, which forced the ships into the shipyards. In addition, some Corvettes showed damage to the couplings that needed to be repaired.

The corvettes should still be able to reach a speed of 15 knots in swell 5 and Beaufort 12 . A ship's diesel engine can reach 20 knots in calm seas. The maximum speed is given as over 26 knots. Depending on the source, the range is given as 4000 nm at 15 kn or 2500 nm at 15 kn. A double rudder system, which is provided with a rudder-roll stabilization system to stabilize the ship, enables flight operations up to sea state 5. In addition, all five corvettes were retrofitted with cross-thrust steering systems to increase maneuverability . The electrical system, consisting of four electrical units with 550 kW generator power each, is largely automated with regard to operation, control and monitoring and achieves 100 percent energy redundancy. The corvettes are qualified for sea ​​supply .

Helicopter deck and mine deck

Braunschweig helicopter deck with landing grille and open hangar door

The helipad at the stern is 24 m long and 12.6 m wide. It is designed for landing a 12 ton helicopter such as the Westland Lynx or NH90 . The hangar cannot accommodate helicopters, it is only designed to accommodate remote-controlled reconnaissance drones. The landing deck also serves as a reserve deck for helicopters from other ships, which can be refueled on board, and to accommodate sea ​​mines on mountable mine rails.

units

First, a first construction lot of five units was procured for 1.2 billion euros , the average price of the ships in the first lot was 240 million euros.

The second construction lot was ordered in 2018 for around 2 billion euros, bringing the price per unit to around 400 million euros. The five ships of the second construction lot are being built by ARGE K130 at five shipyards. Lürssen-Werft, Bremen , is in the lead , which produces two fore ship parts of the construction lot and completes the merging of the fore and aft parts of the ship with Peene-Werft (all five aft ship parts ) and with Blohm + Voss, Hamburg . The German Naval Yards manufactures three foredeck parts in Kiel. ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) also performs design services. According to some sources, the ships in the second batch will be given the same identification as the ships in the first batch. An official confirmation from the Navy has not yet been received.

The ships of the first construction lot are subordinate to the 1st Corvette Squadron.

Identifier	Surname	Callsign	shipyard	Keel laying	Launch	Commissioning	home port
First construction lot
F 260	Braunschweig	DRBA	Blohm + Voss, Hamburg	December 1, 2004	April 19, 2006	April 16, 2008	Warnemünde
F 261	Magdeburg	DRBB	Lürssen shipyard, Bremen	May 19, 2005	September 6, 2006	September 22, 2008
F 262	Erfurt	DRBC	Nordseewerke GmbH, Emden	September 22, 2005	March 29, 2007	February 28, 2013
F 263	Oldenburg	DRBD	Blohm + Voss, Hamburg	January 19, 2006	June 28, 2007	January 21, 2013
F 264	Ludwigshafen am Rhein	DRBE	Lürssen shipyard, Bremen	April 14, 2006	September 26, 2007	21st March 2013
Second construction lot
	Cologne		ARGE K130	April 25, 2019		probably November 2022	Warnemünde
	Emden			January 30, 2020
	Karlsruhe			July 28, 2020
	augsburg
	Lübeck			probably December 2020		probably 2025

Commanders

The corvettes initially had permanent crews. On October 1, 2014, the multi-crew concept was introduced for this class. Five crews (Alpha to Echo) rotate independently of the unit through the various phases of training, exercise and deployment.

Commanders until 2014
	Corvette Braunschweig	Corvette Magdeburg	Corvette Erfurt	Corvette Oldenburg	Corvette Ludwigshafen am Rhein
1.	FKpt Axel Herbst April 2006 - February 2010	FKpt Jörg Feldhusen September 2006 - April 2010	FKpt Stefan Gröller 2007 - September 23, 2010	FKpt Carsten Duer (Skipper) June 2007 - November 2010	FKpt Gerald Heuer (skipper) September 2007 - October 2010
2.	KKpt Boris Bollow February 2010 - September 30th, 2013	KKpt Björn Baggesen April 2010 - June 28, 2012	KKpt Stefan Schulz November 1, 2010 - November 28, 2011	KKpt Hilko Klöver November 2010 - June 2014	FKpt Lars Hirland October 2010 - June 2013
3.	KKpt Stefan Böhlicke September 30th, 2013 -	FKpt Torben Steinweller June 28, 2012 -	FKpt Björn Weyer November 28, 2011 - September 30, 2014	FKpt Thomas Klitzsch June 28, 2014 -	KKpt Marco Köster June 2013 -
Multi-crew concept from October 1, 2014
	Crew Alpha	Crew bravo	Crew Charly	Crew Delta	Crew echo
1.	KKpt Stefan Böhlicke - October 2nd, 2015	FKpt Torben Steinweller - October 2, 2014	KKpt Robert Schmidt October 1, 2014 - January 8, 2018	FKpt Thomas Klitzsch - February 27, 2017	KKpt Marco Köster - November 2016
2.	KKpt / FKpt Ronny Bergner October 2, 2015 - October 2, 2019	KKpt Andreas Kaspar 2nd October 2014 - December 10, 2015	FKpt Alexander Dubnitzki January 8, 2018 - August 13, 2020	KKpt Thorsten Vögler February 27, 2017 -	KKpt / FKpt Stephan Lukaszyk November 2016 - September 22, 2019
3.	KKpt Christian Heger October 2, 2019 -	FKpt Rüdiger Fitz December 10, 2015 - September 6, 2018	KKpt Pascal Störk August 13, 2020 -		FKpt shepherd September 22, 2019 -
4th		KKpt Philipp Wohlrab September 6, 2018 -

Web links

Commons : Korvette K130  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Corvette Braunschweig -class (official website of the Navy)
• Corvette Braunschweig - Video on the Bundeswehr's YouTube channel

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Blohm + Voss class 130. In: Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Retrieved February 4, 2014 .  
2. ↑ ^{a b c} 3. Report of the Federal Ministry of Defense on Armaments Matters. Berlin, April 2016, p. 120, bmvg.de ( Memento from March 18, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 3.83 MB).
3. ^ Corvette Braunschweig -class (official website of the Navy)
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m} The corvette class 130. (PDF; 490 kB) In: Schiffbau Industrie 2/2005. Pp. 22-25 , accessed February 1, 2014 .  
5. ↑ ^{a b} Corvette Braunschweig Handed Over. ThyssenKrupp, January 30, 2008, accessed March 25, 2017 (English).  
6. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} Norman Friedman: The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems . US Naval Inst Pr, 2006, ISBN 1-55750-262-5 , pp. 262-263 .
7. ↑ ^{a b} New guy at the start. (No longer available online.) In: Y-Punkt. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014 ; accessed on February 4, 2014 .  
8. ↑ ^{a b c} Bund commissions the corvettes. In: ostsee-zeitung.de. September 12, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017 .  
9. ↑ List of the names of German warships (A – M) , List of the names of German warships (N – Z)
10. ↑ Marcus Mohr: New Corvettes: Five times tradition. August 1, 2018, accessed August 1, 2018 . 
11. ^ K 130. Freundeskreis Schnellboote und Korvetten e. V., accessed on February 3, 2014 .  
12. ^ Hajo Lippke: The future of the German Navy . Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, 2009, ISBN 3-631-59939-0 .
13. ↑ ^{a b} Corvette 130 billion project: The series of breakdowns does not stop - naval inspector calls for tighter controls. MDR; na-presseportal, June 20, 2011, accessed on June 23, 2011 .  
14. ↑ Thomas Wiegold : And again trouble with the corvettes (with update). In: Augengeradeaus.net. June 24, 2012, accessed February 1, 2014 .  
15. ^ Frank Menning: K130 - state of affairs at the beginning of 2013. In: Marineforum 1 / 2-2013, p. 20
16. ↑ Press and Information Center Marine: Premiere for corvettes - “Magdeburg” goes into UNIFIL operation. Bundeswehr, September 24, 2012, accessed on March 21, 2017 . 
17. ↑ Christian Dewitz: A maritime endurance test for ship and crew. In: bundeswehr-journal.de . January 21, 2014, accessed March 25, 2017 . 
18. ↑ ^{a b} Dietrich Esfeld: Change management K130. In: MarineForum , 10-2014, pp. 16–20 ( online )
19. ↑ ^{a b} Voluntary ex ante transparency announcement - negotiated procedure without call for competition of March 24, 2017. Tenders Electronic Daily , accessed on March 24, 2017.
20. ↑ New armaments deal: Bundeswehr to get five new warships . In: sueddeutsche.de .
21. ↑ Thomas Wiegold: Let's buy five new warships. In: Augengeradeaus.net. October 14, 2016, accessed October 14, 2016 . 
22. ↑ Sven Becker, Horand Knaup, Gerald Traufetter: As in the old days . In: Der Spiegel . No. 45 , 2016 ( online ).
23. ↑ Christoph Hickmann: Cartel Office stops awarding a major marine contract. In: sueddeutsche.de. May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2017 . 
24. ^ Rehberg / Kalb: Budget Committee decides to strengthen the Bundeswehr. Retrieved November 12, 2016 . 
25. ↑ Thomas Wiegold : Corvettes, 2nd lot: The state of affairs from the shipyard. In: Augengeradeaus.net. April 6, 2018, accessed April 6, 2018 .  
26. ↑ Start of construction: Five more corvettes for the Navy. In: https://www.bmvg.de/ . BMVg press and information staff, February 7, 2019, accessed on February 7, 2019 . 
27. ↑ Keel laying of the "Köln": next milestone in the new corvette building. In: https://www.marine.de/ . PIZ German Navy, April 25, 2019, accessed April 25, 2019 . 
28. ^ Corvette New Build: A Good Day for the Navy. In: https://www.bmvg.de/ . BMVg press and information staff, February 8, 2019, accessed on February 9, 2019 . 
29. ↑ Five traditional names for new class 130 corvettes . August 1, 2018, accessed on August 1, 2018 .  
30. ↑ Hensoldt supplies ship radars. In: Hartpunkt.de. February 13, 2019, accessed February 15, 2019 . 
31. ↑ Press release detail - Leonardo Company. Retrieved May 14, 2019 . 
32. ↑ ^{a b c} Torben Steinweller: Proven and on track! Corvette class 130 in action. (PDF) (No longer available online.) In: Leinen Los! April 2013, archived from the original on February 20, 2014 ; accessed on February 1, 2014 .  
33. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Corvettes get going. (PDF) (No longer available online.) In: European Security & Technology - March 2013. Archived from the original on July 10, 2013 ; accessed on February 1, 2014 .  
34. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Eric Wertheim: The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems . US Naval Inst Pr, 2007, ISBN 1-59114-955-X , pp. 248 .
35. ↑ "4 crews 1 unit" - Corvette "Erfurt" back home after 510 days of action. In: marine.de of June 11, 2016.
36. ^ ^{A b c d} Norman Friedman: The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems, 1997-1998 . US Naval Inst Pr, 2007, ISBN 1-55750-268-4 , pp. 316 .
37. ↑ ^{a b c} Dorothee Frank: Unmanned helicopters for the corvettes . In: European Security & Technology . August 2017, p. 72-74 .
38. ↑ Commander of the fleet: "German Navy at the Limit". In: shz.de from April 9, 2017, accessed on April 9, 2017.
39. ↑ Thomas Wiegold: A first step towards the new marine drone: Procurement contract for Vor-System concluded. August 7, 2018, accessed August 16, 2018 .  
40. ↑ BAAINBw procures new helicopter drone. August 9, 2018, accessed August 16, 2018 .  
41. ^ ^{A b} Harm-Dirk Huisinga: guided missile systems of the German Navy - state of affairs and succession planning . In: European Security & Technology May 2013, pp. 77-80 ( Memento from January 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
42. ↑ Author collective Seefahrerblog: Maneuvers in Sweden with the RBS 15. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on April 19, 2015 ; Retrieved August 29, 2014 .  
43. ↑ Thomas Wiegold: the misses of the corvette. In: Augengeradeaus.net. August 26, 2013, accessed August 10, 2014 .  
44. ^ Report from the Kieler Nachrichten of May 10, 2015
45. ↑ Marine defends RBS15 Mk3 missile against media criticism In: bundeswehr-journal.de of September 6, 2016, accessed on March 19, 2017.
46. ↑ Thomas Wiegold: Five missiles per corvette. In: Augengeradeaus.net of June 5, 2015, accessed on March 16, 2017.
47. ↑ ^{a b} Thomas Rauchenecker: Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 In: MarineForum , 4-2014, pp. 16-18 ( online )
48. ↑ Free Gyro Imaging IR Sensor In Rolling Airframe Missile Application. Raytheon Missile Systems, accessed January 4, 2014 .  
49. ^ Raytheon - Rolling Airframe Missile. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
50. ↑ ^{a b c} K130 Braunschweig Class Corvette - German Navy. In: Navy Recognition. August 13, 2013, accessed February 1, 2014 .  
51. ↑ Next Generation MTU Series 1163. (PDF) (No longer available online.) MTU, February 1, 2014, archived from the original on February 21, 2014 ; accessed on February 1, 2014 .  
52. ↑ Screw loose . In: Der Spiegel . No.  22 , 2009, p. 19 ( online ).
53. ^ German Navy: The weapon system on warships is faulty. In: Spiegel Online . July 29, 2012, accessed February 1, 2014 .  
54. ↑ bundeswehr-journal.de
55. ↑ Five traditional names for new class 130 corvettes. (PDF) In: The newsletter of the German Navy. Retrieved December 27, 2018 .  
56. ^ BW ships under the coat of arms of "Cologne". Retrieved December 27, 2018 . 
57. ↑ Another corvette laid down. January 30, 2020, accessed January 31, 2020 . 
58. ↑ Korvette K130, 2nd lot: Burning start of build number 8. July 29, 2020, accessed on July 30, 2020 . 
59. ↑ With the "Oldenburg" across all seas. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
60. ↑ German Navy - press release: First change of command on a corvette - the commander draws a positive conclusion. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
61. ↑ Assumption of command on the ERFURT corvette. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on May 22, 2011 ; Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
62. ↑ Addition for the Navy - Corvette "Oldenburg" put into service. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
63. ↑ Corvette squadron is complete with "Ludwigshafen". Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
64. ^ Corvette "Braunschweig" under new management. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
65. ↑ Corvette “Magdeburg” has a new commanding officer. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
66. ↑ New captain. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
67. ^ Medal parade on the corvette "Ludwigshafen am Rhein". Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
68. ↑ New commanders for the navy fleet. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
69. ↑ "I leave with sadness" - change of command on the "Braunschweig". Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
70. ↑ New commanders for the navy fleet. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
71. ↑ Naval Comradeship Erfurt when changing commanders in Warnemünde. In: https://deutscher-marinebund.de/ . DMB, January 8, 2018, accessed May 9, 2018 . 
72. ↑ Change of command on the corvette "Magdeburg". Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
73. ^ Change of command on the corvette "Ludwigshafen am Rhein". Retrieved March 5, 2016 . 
74. ^ Crew of BRAVO under new command. Retrieved March 5, 2017 . 
75. ↑ Transfer of command for the "Charlie" crew in the 1st Corvette Squadron. In: https://www.presseportal.de/ . PIZ German Navy, August 10, 2020, accessed on August 14, 2020 . 
76. ^ Change of commanders on the Magdeburg. Retrieved November 5, 2018 .