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Köln (F265) is the sixth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.
.jpg) Köln in the port of Hamburg, 2023 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Germany | |
| Name | Köln |
| Namesake | Köln |
| Ordered | September 2017 |
| Builder | Lürssen-Werft, Bremen |
| Cost | €400 million |
| Laid down | 25 April 2019 |
| Launched | 30 October 2020 |
| Commissioned | Expected, 2025 |
| Identification | Pennant number: F265 |
| Status | Sea trials |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Braunschweig-class 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 | 2 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)[1] |
| Endurance | 7 days; 21 days with tender |
| Complement | 65 : 1 commander, 10 officers, 16 chief petty officers, 38 enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems | |
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | Helicopter pad and hangar for two Saab Skeldar |
The K130 Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. Five ships have replaced the Gepard-class fast attack craft of the German Navy.
They feature reduced radar and infrared signatures ("stealth" beyond the Sachsen-class frigates) and will be equipped with two helicopter UAVs for remote sensing. Recently, the German Navy ordered a first batch of two UMS Skeldar V-200 systems for the use on the Braunschweig-class corvettes.[2] 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.
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 (250 mi)— and a dual seeker for increased resistance to electronic countermeasures.[3] The RBS-15 Mk3 has the capability to engage land targets.[4]
In October 2016 it was announced that a second batch of five more frigates is to be procured from 2022 to 2025.[5] The decision was in response to NATO requirements expecting Germany to provide a total of four corvettes at the highest readiness level for littoral operations by 2018, and with only five corvettes just two can be provided.[6]
In September 2017, the German Navy commissioned the construction of five more corvettes in a consortium of North German shipyards. Lürssen will be the main contractor in the production of the vessels. The contract is worth around 2 billion euros.[7][8] In April 2018, the German government announced the specific arrangements under which the five new K130s would be built.[9][10]
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Köln's construction started in February and later laid down on 25 April 2019 by Lürssen-Werft in Bremen.[11] Her forecastle was built by Blohm+Voss and towed to Bremen to be assembled and launched on 20 October 2020.[12][13] She had been expected to be commissioned in 2023. However, in September 2022 it was reported that increasing difficulties in integrating the command and control systems for the Batch 2 ships had resulted in a cost growth of 401 million Euros and at least a two year delay for the completion of Köln.[14]
As of 31 October 2020, she was fitting out at Hamburg.[15] She began initial sea trials in July 2023, though her projected full in service date likely remained 2025.[16]
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