The third of four 125 class frigates being built by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems for the German Navy has been named ‘Sachsen-Anhalt’ the company announced on 4 March. The frigate is expected to be delivered to the German defence procurement agency in early 2019.

The first frigate ‘Baden-Württemberg’ was named in December 2013, while the second ‘Nordrhein-Westfalen’ was named in April 2015. Sea trials of Baden-Württemberg are planned to commence in the spring, with delivery scheduled for mid-2017.

Hans Christoph Atzpodien, member, management board, Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, and chairman, supervisory board, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, said: ‘The F125 frigate class is a completely new type of ship. With numerous innovations and a multiple-crew strategy it is a further showcase for the leading engineering expertise of German naval shipbuilding.’

The contract for the F125 programme was awarded in 2007 to the ARGE F125 consortium, which comprises Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the lead company, Lürssen Werft building the pre-fitted bow sections, and Blohm+Voss Shipyards manufacturing the stern sections, joining the two sections and conducting further fittings.

The F125 frigates will replace Germany's eight Bremen type 122 class frigates. They are designed for national and alliance defence, international crisis management, conflict prevention and intervention/stabilisation operations. 

The ships are capable of remaining at sea for 24 months at a time, a capability supported by a smaller crew and a multiple-crew strategy which permits a complete change of crew during deployment.