Future German F127-class frigates will receive 96 vertical launch systems at once. And this is not only 50% more than previous plans, but actually the largest firepower among European analogues.
Hartpunkt reports such information citing industry sources. As a result, the ships' length, width, and displacement will be increased, although previously they were already stated at the level of 160 m, 21 m, and 10-12 thousand tons.
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At the same time, from the very beginning, F127s were specifically designed to provide air defense and missile defense for Germany's fleet, including against ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Therefore, even earlier there was information about plans to install 64 vertical launch systems within two Mk 41 systems.
Defense Express notes that it seems Germans want to "arm to the teeth" their own ships, because such launchers can use a very wide arsenal of weapons. We're talking about SM-3, SM-6 air defense missiles, which were recently purchased by the country, as well as CAMM, RIM-116, and even Patriot PAC-3 MSE.
Moreover, missiles for land strikes and surface targets can also be used, such as Tomahawk and Joint Strike Missile (JSM) cruise missiles, as well as RGM-179 JAGM. Of course, the quantity will depend on sizes, so we won't see 96 Tomahawks, but capabilities are indeed among the largest in Europe.
However, currently the F127 project is still in development, although construction was already planned to begin in 2025. Work continues on infrastructure, and shipbuilding companies TKMS and NVL have already created a joint venture.
So far, supposedly first planning stages have been achieved, and overall progress is going according to plan. It's expected that in 2026 Germany will finally place an order and implementation will begin as soon as possible.
One way or another, F127 frigates will begin entering service in the mid-2030s to replace obsolete F124s. In total, Germans intend to purchase eight such ships at once.
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