Boris Pistorius Cancels Ambitious F126 Project with €2 Billion Write-Off
World
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made the official decision to entirely terminate the ambitious F126 (Niedersachsen-class) modular frigate construction program. These "super-frigates," measuring 166 meters in length and displacing over 10,500 tons, were slated to become the largest combatants laid down in German shipyards since the end of World War II.
Out of the six units scheduled for production, contractors had barely initiated the assembly of a single hull, and the overall financial losses stemming from the project's cancellation are estimated by experts at €2.4 billion, which will now be permanently written off.
The development of the F126 concept had been underway since 2009 and was aggressively accelerated during Ursula von der Leyen's tenure at the Ministry of Defense. The multi-mission modular vessels were intended to feature enhanced anti-air and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. However, due to a prolonged crisis and the repeated relocation of production sites from the Netherlands back to Germany, the project reached a complete standstill. The command of the Bundesmarine fully endorsed Pistorius's decision to scrap the program. Instead of the six problematic "super-frigates," the German Navy will acquire eight smaller-displacement vessels from the internationally acclaimed MEKO series. Berlin is highly likely to order the 4,200-ton MEKO-200 variant, which is already successfully operated by the navies of Turkey, Greece, Portugal, and South Africa.
The development of the F126 concept had been underway since 2009 and was aggressively accelerated during Ursula von der Leyen's tenure at the Ministry of Defense. The multi-mission modular vessels were intended to feature enhanced anti-air and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. However, due to a prolonged crisis and the repeated relocation of production sites from the Netherlands back to Germany, the project reached a complete standstill. The command of the Bundesmarine fully endorsed Pistorius's decision to scrap the program. Instead of the six problematic "super-frigates," the German Navy will acquire eight smaller-displacement vessels from the internationally acclaimed MEKO series. Berlin is highly likely to order the 4,200-ton MEKO-200 variant, which is already successfully operated by the navies of Turkey, Greece, Portugal, and South Africa.
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