Lütjens-class destroyer
{{Short description|1969 class of German Navy destroyer}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=D185 Lütjens.jpg |Ship caption= {{ship|German destroyer|Lütjens|D185|2}} }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Type 103 Lütjens |Builders=Bath Iron Works, Maine (3) |Operators={{navy|Germany}} |Class before= {{sclass|Hamburg|destroyer|4}} |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range=1966–1970 |In service range= |In commission range= 1969–2003 |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=3 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired=3 |Total ships preserved=1 }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Guided missile destroyer |Ship type= |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement=4,720 t |Ship length={{convert|133.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|14.3 |m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft={{convert|6.1|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=*2 × steam turbines providing {{convert|70,000|shp|abbr=on}}; 2 shafts
|Ship sail plan= |Ship speed={{convert|33|kn|km/h}} |Ship range={{convert|4,500|nmi|km}} at {{convert|20|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement=337 |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors=*AN/SPS-40 2D air surveillance and early-warning radar, long-range
|Ship EW=*2 × SRBOC 6 cell chaff and flare launcher
|Ship armament=*2 × 127 mm/54 Mk 42 mod 10 guns
|Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
The Type 103 Lütjens class was the last class of destroyers in service with the German Navy. The ships were US {{sclass|Charles F. Adams|destroyer|0}} guided missile destroyers but with some modifications to meet German requirements. They were replaced by the new {{sclass|Sachsen|frigate}}s, designated frigate even though they are much larger and more capable in all aspects than the Lütjens-class destroyers.
Development
The three Lütjens destroyers were purchased from the US to provide air defence.{{cite book|first=David|last=Miller|title=The World's Navies: An Illustrated Review of the Navies of the World|place=London|publisher=Salamander|year=1992|isbn=9780861016426|page=82}}
For German use, they received the following modifications:
- Communication systems according to German standards. The Lütjens class had more aerials and a second mast mounted on the aft funnel. The large air surveillance radar was positioned further aft (above the funnel).
In turn, the new antennas and radar location meant that the funnels had to be modified. On the Lütjens the exhaust gases were emitted sideways with two pipes on the port and starboard side of each funnel.
- New location of the sonar array. The Lütjens had their sonar dome located in a bulge directed forward in the bow and not under the bow to reduce the ship's draft.
- Better crew accommodation.
Speeds over {{convert|30|kn|km/h}} could be sustained for only a limited time due to the enormous fuel consumption. With two active boilers the ship could achieve speeds up to {{convert|27|kn|km/h}}. Three boilers made {{convert|30|kn|km/h}} achievable. For any speed beyond {{convert|30|kn|km/h}} all four boilers were needed.
Service
The three ships in the class were commissioned in 1969 and 1970.{{cite book|first=Richard|last=Sharpe|title=Jane's Fighting Ships|place=London|publisher=Janes Information Group|year=1995|isbn=9780710611611|page=238}} In service, they formed the 1. Zerstörergeschwader ("first destroyer squadron") based in Kiel.
The Lütjens class was upgraded to Type 103A in the 1970s with new digital fire-control computers and better missiles for the old Tartar SM1 missile system. The boilers were also converted to burn lighter oil for logistical reasons instead of the heavy fuel oil that needs to be preheated.
A second major refit was undertaken in the 1980s when the ships were upgraded to Type 103B. Missiles were upgraded with a single Modified Mark 13 missile launcher fitted able to fire the SM-1MR surface-to-air missile and Harpoon anti-ship missile. A typical balance was 32 of the former and 8 of the latter. Fire control was improved with upgraded computers and a new AN/SPG-60 radar which also provided illumination for the missiles.
In the 1990s, the ships in the class each received two RIM-116 RAM launchers and Chaff launchers.
With the decommissioning of Lütjens on 18 December 2003 the age of steam ended for the German Navy. Mölders became a museum ship at the German Navy Museum in Wilhelmshaven.
List of ships
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Namesake !Builder !Laid down !Launched !Com- !Decom- !Fate !Reference | ||||||||
| D185 | {{ship|German destroyer|Lütjens|D185|2}} | Admiral Günther Lütjens | DRAE | Bath Iron Works | 1 March 1966 | 11 August 1967 | 22 March 1969 | 18 December 2003
| 2012 scrapped in Aliağa, (Turkey) | |
| D186 | {{ship|German destroyer|Mölders|D186|2}} | Oberst Werner Mölders | DRAF | Bath Iron Works | 12 April 1966 | 13 April 1967 | 23 February 1969 | 28 May 2003
| Museum ship in [http://www.marinemuseum.de/ausstellungen/freigelande/die-molders/ Marinearsenal Wilhelmshaven] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602141717/https://www.marinemuseum.de/ausstellungen/freigelande/die-molders/ |date=2 June 2021 }} (Germany) |
| D187 | {{ship|German destroyer|Rommel|D187|2}} | Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel | DRAG | Bath Iron Works | 22 August 1967 | 1 February 1969 | 2 May 1970 | 30 September 1998
| cannibalized, 2004 scrapped in Aliağa (Turkey) |
All three ships were built by Bath Iron Works in the United States. They were named after famous German officers who died in World War II: Günther Lütjens who had commanded the {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2|up=yes}} task group, the fighter ace Werner Mölders of the Luftwaffe, and Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.