:German corvette Köln
{{other ships|German ship Köln}}
{{short description|Braunschweig-class corvette}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Köln Korvette (cropped).jpg | Ship caption = Köln in the port of Hamburg, 2023 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Germany | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Germany|naval}} | Ship name = Köln | Ship namesake = Köln | Ship ordered = September 2017 | Ship builder = Lürssen-Werft, Bremen | Ship yard number = | Ship laid down = 25 April 2019 | Ship launched = 30 October 2020 | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = Expected, 2025 | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship identification = Pennant number: F265 | Ship honours = | Ship fate = | Ship status = Sea trials | Ship notes = | Ship registry = | Ship homeport = | Ship original cost = €400 million }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Braunschweig-class corvette | Ship displacement = {{Convert|1840|t|LT}} | Ship length = {{Convert|89.12|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{Convert|13.28|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship draft = {{Convert |3.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion = 2 MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 diesel engines producing 14.8MW, driving two controllable-pitch propellers. | Ship speed = {{Convert|26|kn|km/h mph|lk=in}} | Ship range = {{Convert|4000|nmi|km|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{Convert|15|kn|km/h mph|abbr=on}}{{cite press release |url= http://www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/presse/art_detail.html%26eid%3DTKBase_1201525684661_1120168579 |title= Corvette Braunschweig Handed Over |publisher= ThyssenKrupp AG |date= 30 January 2008 |accessdate= 14 May 2015 |archive-date= 13 December 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191213141347/http://www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/presse/art_detail.html%26eid%3DTKBase_1201525684661_1120168579 |url-status= dead }} | Ship endurance = 7 days; 21 days with tender | Ship complement = 65 : 1 commander, 10 officers, 16 chief petty officers, 38 enlisted | Ship capacity = | Ship aircraft = Helicopter pad and hangar for two Saab Skeldar | Ship sensors = *Cassidian TRS-3D multifunction Passive electronically scanned array C-Band radar
| Ship EW = *2 × TKWA/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) decoy launcher
| Ship armament = * Guns;
| Ship armor = | Ship notes = }} |
Köln (F265) is the sixth ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.
Developments
{{Main|Braunschweig-class corvette}}
The K130 Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. Five ships have replaced the {{sclass|Gepard|fast attack craft}} of the German Navy.
They feature reduced radar and infrared signatures ("stealth" beyond the {{sclass|Sachsen|frigate}}s) 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.{{Citation|title=BAAINBw Procures New Helicopter Drones for the Navy|date=27 September 2018|publisher=Baainbw|access-date=2 March 2019|url=http://www.baainbw.de/portal/a/baain/start/aktuell/allena/!ut/p/z1/hY9BC4JAEIX_kbOuaHZ0MU0RFQ3LvcSiixm2K8smHfrxrUTdojk8mPdmvmGAwgmoYMs4MD1KwSbTt9Q7Ez87ZHiLcVjuMEqcfeNWpEBFjKGB478RamL0owIENRfQGsbmN8OBGijQnludFFyvqrnQo9FBMS2VNUulpzW5K2USa-yhRXZIEHY-p-wnceI0jTzXDhNSrcArW9jju8u69WloL0z0Ey9lF7yN-Rb5ee4OL0TZoFE!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/#Z7_B8LTL2922DPE20I3HV5RBO0OG3}}. 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 —{{convert|400|km|mi|abbr=on}}— and a dual seeker for increased resistance to electronic countermeasures.{{cite web|date=17 May 2004|title=de:Neue Aufgaben der Marine mit moderner Ausrüstung|url=http://www.marine.de/portal/a/marine/waffenun/korvette/braunschweig/neueaufg?yw_contentURL=/01DB070000000001/W26ARD6S756INFODE/content.jsp|accessdate=14 May 2015|publisher=German Navy|language=de}} The RBS-15 Mk3 has the capability to engage land targets.[http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2016/june-2016-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/4074-german-navy-k130-corvettes-ready-for-saab-rbs-15-mk3-anti-ship-missiles.html German Navy K130 Corvettes Ready for Saab RBS-15 Mk3 Anti-Ship Missiles], Navy recognition, 8 June 2016.
In October 2016 it was announced that a second batch of five more frigates is to be procured from 2022 to 2025.{{Citation|title=Fünf neue Korvetten für die Bundeswehr|work=Faz|date=14 October 2016 |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/fuenf-neue-korvetten-fuer-die-bundeswehr-14481903.html}}. 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.{{Citation|title=German Navy to Get Five More K130 Braunschweig-class Corvettes|date=14 November 2016|work=Navy recognition|url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2016/november-2016-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/4561-german-navy-to-get-five-more-k130-braunschweig-class-corvettes.html}}.
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.{{cite news|title=Germany awards €2.4bln contract for five new K130 corvettes|work=Naval Today|url=https://navaltoday.com/2017/09/13/germany-awards-e2-4bln-contract-for-five-new-k130-corvettes/}}{{cite news|last=Kopp|first=Martin|date=13 September 2017|title=Riesenauftrag von Bundeswehr: Blohm+Voss auf Jahre gerettet|language=de|publisher=Hamburger Abendblatt|url=https://www.abendblatt.de/hamburg/article211919755/Riesenauftrag-von-der-Bundeswehr-Blohm-Voss-auf-Jahre-gerettet.html}} In April 2018, the German government announced the specific arrangements under which the five new K130s would be built.{{cite news|date=April 9, 2018|title=Four Shipyards Agree to Build New German Corvettes|work=www.defense-aerospace.com|url=http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/192245/four-shipyards-agree-to-build-new-german-corvettes.html}}{{cite news|date=6 April 2018|title=Wie Blohm+Voss vom Bau neuer Korvetten profitiert|language=de-DE|work=Hamburger Abendblatt|url=https://www.abendblatt.de/wirtschaft/hafen-und-schifffahrt/article213939181/Wie-Blohm-Voss-vom-Bau-neuer-Korvetten-profitiert.html}}
Construction and career
Köln
As of 31 October 2020, she was fitting out at Hamburg.{{cite tweet |author=WarshipCam |user=WarshipCam |number=1322551434584465410 |date=31 October 2020 |title=German Navy future Braunschweig-class corvette FGS Koln (F265) in Hamburg, Germany - taken from bridge cam of passing cruise ship - October 31, 2020 #koln #f265 https://t.co/C7sGtUPHm8 |language=en |access-date=4 January 2021}} She began initial sea trials in July 2023, though her projected full in service date likely remained 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-nouvelle-corvette-allemande-a-la-mer|title=La nouvelle corvette allemande à la mer |website=Mer et Marine |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |date=12 July 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Braunschweig-class corvette}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Köln (F265)}}