Germany's parliamentary budget committee has approved funding for the procurement of the first four MEKO A-200 DEU frigates, designated F128, with an option for four more — clearing the way for a firm contract to be signed.
As hartpunkt reports, however, Germany is determined to avoid the fate of its predecessor, the F126, which more than doubled its initial cost and missed every possible deadline. A comprehensive set of oversight measures has accordingly been put in place.
Read more: Turkiye Finally Selling $2.5B S-400s That Got It Kicked Out of F-35 Program, Gulf State Buyer Reportedly Qatar or UAE
The Ministry of Defense is required to submit quarterly progress reports and to inform the Bundestag's budget committee of any delays or cost overruns. Additional expenditure may not be incurred without the appropriate authorisation.
The defense ministry is broadly required to ensure all conditions are in place to meet the planned delivery schedule, under which the first frigate is to be delivered in December 2029. Any changes to the contract or work process must not jeopardise that delivery timeline.
Notably, parliament's decision calls on the new prime contractor, TKMS, to involve, where possible — subcontractors and shipbuilders who lost work as a result of the F126 cancellation. Parliamentarians have also requested an assessment of whether parallel construction of hulls would be feasible under the option exercise.
Defense Express notes that all of these conditions represent a fairly logical framework for a major programme valued at €6.3 billion for the first four hulls. They may help identify and avoid or at least mitigate — potential problems before they escalate.
As a reminder, the F126 programme originally carried a price tag of €8–8.5 billion for six frigates, with the first to be delivered in 2027–2028. Persistent failures by contractor Navantia pushed the schedule back continuously, with first delivery eventually slipping to 2031–2032 — four years late. An attempt to transfer the order to Rheinmetall fell through when that company quoted €12 billion, and the final cost estimate eventually climbed to €18 billion.
Germany ultimately cancelled the F126 and turned its attention to the smaller, cheaper MEKO A-200 DEU from domestic builder TKMS, which has assured the ministry that it understands the importance of on-time delivery and is now awaiting contract signature.
Read more: In Just 96 Hours, Ukraine Struck 34 russian Vessels in the Sea of Azov
