Type 424 fleet service ship
{{Short description|German Navy signals and recon ship class}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image = |Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Type 424 | Builders = NVL Group | Operators = {{naval|Germany}} | Class before = {{sclass|Oste|fleet service ship|4}} | Class after = | Subclasses = | Cost = {{ShipCost|FRA|3.26|b|year=2023|r=1}} for 3 ships + training centre | Built range = | In commission range = | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 3 | Total ships completed = | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships scrapped = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Signals intelligence gathering vessel | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{cvt|132|m|ftin}} | Ship beam = | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship draft = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = | Ship range = | Ship endurance = | Ship boats = | Ship capacity = | Ship troops = | Ship complement = | Ship crew = | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = | Ship armour = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
The Type 424 fleet service ship is a new class of three signals intelligence (SIGINT/ELINT) and reconnaissance ships for the German Navy. Officially designated as "fleet service ships", they will replace the {{sclass|Oste|fleet service ship|4}}, which has been in service since the late 1980s.{{cite web|url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/07/nvl-group-to-build-3-new-sigint-ships-for-german-navy/ |title=NVL Group To Build 3 New SIGINT Ships For German Navy |publisher=Naval News |date=10 July 2023 |access-date=14 July 2023}}{{cite web |date=11 July 2023 |title=Germany signs off on Type 424 AGI build contract |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/germany-signs-off-on-type-424-agi-build-contract |access-date=14 July 2023 |publisher=Janes |language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/07/13/germany-spy-ship-construction/ |title=Germany Funds Indigenous Spy Ship Fleet Construction |publisher=The Defense Post |date=13 July 2023 |access-date=14 July 2023}}
History
The Type 424 was first announced in June 2021 when a contract was awarded to the NVL Group for the design phase. Bundestag approved the development and procurement of three auxiliary ships as well as a training and reference reconnaissance facility (ARAA) for sea-based signal detection reconnaissance (ssA).
As the main contractor, NVL was commissioned to develop the systems by February 2023. All services should be completed by 2029. The first of the three boats is scheduled to be put into service in 2027.{{Cite web |last=ES&T Redaktion |date=10 July 2023 |title=Weitere Mittel für neue Flottendienstboote freigegeben |url=https://esut.de/2023/07/meldungen/43291/weitere-mittel-fuer-neue-flottendienstboote-freigegeben/ |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=esut.de |language=de-DE}}
When concluding the contract with Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) in June 2021, the Federal cort of Audit, Bundesrechnungshof reported “significant concerns”. It criticized the fact that the Ministry of Defense only wanted to discuss with the shipyard after the contract had been signed how exactly the ships should be built. "Billions were awarded blindly and a very bad negotiating situation," wrote the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The Federal Audit Office feared "additional expenditure in the medium term."{{Cite web |last1=Ludwig |first1=Kristiana |last2=Szymanski |first2=Mike |date=28 June 2023 |title=Kostenexplosion: Deutsche Aufklärungsschiffe 1,2 Milliarden Euro teurer |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/bundeswehr-beschaffung-spionageschiffe-1-2-milliarden-euro-1.5976826 |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=Süddeutsche.de |language=de}}
In 2023, the ships only existed vaguely and sketchily on paper.The new building increased in price from 2.1 billion euros to 3.3 billion euros (2023).{{Cite web |last=Peters (NDR) |first=Massimo Bognanni, Martin Kaul (WDR) und Nils Naber, Stella |title=Kostenexplosion bei Spionageschiffen für die Bundeswehr |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr-wdr/bundeswehr-spionageschiffe-kosten-100.html |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}} The Federal cort of Audit, Bundesrechnungshof intervened in 2023 and stated that there were significant risks arising from the contract structure with Lürssen.
In 2023 BAAINBw and Lürssen announced that delivery will be postponed to a period between 2029 and 2031.{{Cite web |last=ESD |date=13 July 2023 |title=Type 424 fleet service ships: Germany Tests a New Procurement Model |url=https://euro-sd.com/2023/07/news/32819/type-424-fleet-service-ships-germany-tests-a-new-procurement-model/ |access-date=14 July 2023 |website=euro-sd.com |language=en-US}}
Construction started in November 2024,{{Cite web |url=https://www.hartpunkt.de/brennbeginn-des-ersten-neuen-flottendienstbootes-fuer-die-marine/ |access-date=11 December 2024 |website=search.app |title=Brennbeginn des ersten neuen Flottendienstbootes für die Marine |date=21 November 2024 }} and the steel for the first ship was cut in December 2024.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Naval News |date=11 December 2024 |title=Germany's First Type 424 SIGINT Ship Enters Production |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/12/germany-first-type-424-sigint-ship-enters-production/#prettyPhoto |access-date=11 December 2024 |website=Naval News |language=en-US}}