Germany Cancels F126 Frigate Program
Berlin has terminated the F126 frigate project after spending more than €2.4 billion, citing delays, rising costs, and project risks.
Germany's Ministry of Defence has officially announced the cancellation of the F126 frigate program, one of the most significant procurement projects of the German Navy, on which more than €2.4 billion has been spent since 2020.
Despite significantly increasing its defence spending in recent years, Germany has decided to terminate the major warship project. In a written statement titled "F126 Frigate Procurement Project Terminated", the Ministry said: “The planned acquisition of six F126-class frigates for the German Navy will not proceed. The Ministry of Defence has taken this decision due to substantial delays, significant cost increases, and unforeseeable risks.”
The statement noted that the project's prime contractor, Dutch naval shipbuilder Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, failed to meet agreed timelines and budget targets. It added that a subsequent assessment of whether transferring the role of prime contractor to Germany-based Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) could save the project also proved unsuccessful.
MEKO Frigates to Replace F126s
According to the Ministry, the German Navy will instead acquire eight MEKO A-200-DEU frigates from German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), replacing the originally planned six F126 frigates.
The Ministry also stated that it intends to seek approval from the German Federal Parliament’s Budget Committee for the procurement of the MEKO frigates.
First Four MEKO Frigates Estimated to Cost €6.3 Billion
The statement said that, subject to parliamentary approval, the acquisition cost of the first four MEKO frigates is expected to be approximately €6.3 billion. The first vessel, measuring around 120 metres in length, is scheduled to be delivered to the German Navy no later than December 2029.
About the F126 Program
Since the contract was awarded in 2020, more than €2.4 billion has been spent on the F126 program. The 166-metre-long F126 frigates were intended to become the largest warships in the history of the German Navy.
The vessels were designed to perform anti-submarine warfare, air defence, and surface warfare missions while also offering extended deployment capabilities. They were expected to rank among the most advanced and capable ships in the German fleet.
Both Damen Schelde and various defence industry sources had described the F126 program as one of the largest naval procurement projects ever undertaken by Germany.
