German corvette Braunschweig

Braunschweig (F260) is the lead ship of the Braunschweig-class corvette of the German Navy.

Braunschweig sails from Hamburg, Germany on December 11, 2006 for her first voyage.
History
Germany
Name:	Braunschweig
Namesake:	Braunschweig
Port of registry:	Hamburg, Germany
Ordered:	December 2001
Builder:	Blohm+Voss, Hamburg
Cost:	€240 million
Laid down:	3 December 2004
Launched:	19 April 2006
Commissioned:	16 April 2008
Homeport:	Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Identification:	MMSI number: 211910000 Callsign: DRBA Pennant number: F260
Status:	Active
General characteristics
Type:	Braunschweig-class corvette
Displacement:	1,840 tonnes (1,810 long tons)
Length:	89.12 m (292 ft 5 in)
Beam:	13.28 m (43 ft 7 in)
Draft:	3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:	2 MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 diesel engines producing 14.8MW, driving two controllable-pitch propellers.
Speed:	26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range:	4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)[1]
Endurance:	7 days; 21 days with tender[2]
Complement:	65 : 1 commander, 10 officers, 16 chief petty officers, 38 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	Cassidian TRS-3D multifunction Passive electronically scanned array C-Band radar 2 navigation radars MSSR 2000 i IFF system MIRADOR electro-optical sensors UL 5000 K ESM suite Link 11 and Link 16 communications
Electronic warfare & decoys:	2 × TKWA/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) decoy launcher UL 5000 K ECM suite
Armament:	Guns; 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm gun[2][3] 2 × Mauser BK-27 autocannons Anti-ship; 4 × RBS-15 Mk.3 anti-ship missiles Close-In Weapon System: 2 × RAM Block II launchers, 21 missiles each Mine laying capability; 2 mine racks of 34 naval mines Mk 12
Aircraft carried:	Helicopter pad and hangar for two Saab Skeldar

Developments

The K130 Braunschweig class (sometimes Korvette 130) is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. Five ships have replaced the Gepard-class fast attack craft of the German Navy.

They feature reduced radar and infrared signatures ("stealth" beyond the Sachsen-class frigates) and will be equipped with two helicopter UAVs for remote sensing. Recently, the German Navy ordered a first batch of two UMS Skeldar V-200 systems for the use on the Braunschweig-class corvettes.[4] 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 has ordered the RBS-15 Mk4 in advance, which will be a future development of the Mk3 with increased range —400 km (250 mi)— and a dual seeker for increased resistance to electronic countermeasures.[5] The RBS-15 Mk3 has the capability to engage land targets.[6]

In October 2016 it was announced that a second batch of five more frigates is to be procured from 2022–25.[7] 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.[8]

Construction and career

Braunschweig was laid down on 3 December 2004 and launched on 19 April 2006 in Hamburg. She was commissioned on 16 April 2008.[9]

Braunschweig and KRI Bung Tomo conducted an exercise UNIFIL on 24 June 2017.[10] 19 August 2020, Braunschweig served as a platform for shipborne trials of 2 UMS Skeldar V-200 UAV.[11]

Gallery

• 
  Braunschweig sails from Hamburg, Germany on December 11, 2006 for her first voyage.
• 
  Braunschweig sails from Hamburg, Germany on December 11, 2006 for her first voyage.
• 
  Braunschweig sails from Hamburg, Germany on December 11, 2006 for her first voyage.
• 
  Braunschweig sails from Hamburg, Germany on December 11, 2006 for her first voyage.

References

1. "Corvette Braunschweig Handed Over" (Press release). ThyssenKrupp AG. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
2. "Korvette "Braunschweig"-Klasse (K 130)" (in German). German Navy. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
3. "K130 Braunschweig Class Corvette - German Navy". Navyr ecognition. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
4. BAAINBw Procures New Helicopter Drones for the Navy, Baainbw, 27 September 2018, retrieved 2 March 2019.
5. "de:Neue Aufgaben der Marine mit moderner Ausrüstung" (in German). German Navy. 17 May 2004. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
6. German Navy K130 Corvettes Ready for Saab RBS-15 Mk3 Anti-Ship Missiles, Navy recognition, 8 June 2016.
7. "Fünf neue Korvetten für die Bundeswehr", Faz.
8. "German Navy to Get Five More K130 Braunschweig-class Corvettes", Navy recognition, 14 November 2016.
9. "K130 Braunschweig Class Corvette". Naval Technology. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
10. "JPNN". www.jpnn.com (in Indonesian). 2017-06-24. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
11. www.navyrecognition.com https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2020/august/8865-german-navy-begins-shipborne-trials-of-ums-skeldar-s-v-200-uav-aboard-k130-corvette.html. Retrieved 2020-09-18. Missing or empty |title= (help)

Bibliography

• Warship International Staff (2007). "First of the German K 130 Class". Warship International. XLIV (4): 364–365. ISSN 0043-0374.