The K130
Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is
Germany's newest
class of ocean-going
corvettes. Five ships have replaced the of the
German Navy. They feature reduced radar and infrared signatures ("
stealth" beyond the s) and will be equipped with two helicopter
UAVs for remote sensing. The German Navy ordered a first batch of two
UMS Skeldar V-200 systems for the use on the
Braunschweig-class corvettes. The
hangar is too small for standard helicopters, but the pad is large enough for
Sea Kings,
Lynx, or
NH-90s, the helicopters of the German Navy. The German Navy ordered the RBS-15 Mk4 in advance, which will be a future development of the Mk3 with increased range —— and a dual seeker for increased resistance to electronic countermeasures. The RBS-15 Mk3 has the capability to engage land targets. In October 2016 it was announced that a second batch of five more frigates is to be procured from 2022 to 2025. The decision was in response to
NATO requirements expecting Germany to provide a total of four corvettes at the highest readiness level for
littoral operations by 2018, and with only five corvettes just two can be provided. In September 2017, the German Navy commissioned the construction of five more corvettes in a consortium of North German shipyards.
Lürssen are the main contractor in the production of the vessels. The contract is worth around 2 billion euros. In April 2018, the German government announced the specific arrangements under which the five new K130s would be built. == Construction and career ==