“For me it is clear: The defense budget is a welfare budget! It is the ‘budget for life in peace and freedom’. It secures the rights of future generations.”
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, German MoD.
According to the government’s plan, the defence budget of about 50.3 billion euros is about 3.5 billion euros higher than the original estimate in the financial plan and will allow the continuation of ongoing armaments projects. But one last step remained to be passed, that of the approval of the programs by the budget committee of the parliament.
For the record, in Germany, any development and procurement program with a total value of more than €25 million must be approved by the parliamentary budget committee. On June 23, the majority of the Bundeswehr’s development and acquisition programs were authorized.
Among those programmes, numerous will benefit to the German Navy (Deutsche Marine) including development of submarines type 212 CD and future naval strike missile, the acquisition of new NH-90 helicopters – Sea Lion and Sea Tiger, P-8A Poseidon MPA, AGI intelligence ships, replenishment oiler vessels as well as the modernisation of minehunter vessels’ systems. Those are some of the many.
About Type 212CD submarine
After a comprehensive evaluation process, the Norwegian Government decided on Germany as strategic partner for new submarines in February 2017. The partnership is based on a German-Norwegian common purchase and lifetime management of identical, new submarines. The submarines will be based on the Type 212A and specifically tailored to the requirements of the two nations. The Type 212CD (Common Design) will combine the low signatures of the 212A with extended range, speed and endurance to allow worldwide operations. As part of the cooperation with Norway, Germany is set to procure two more submarines of the type (in a group purchase with Norway who will get four). The German Navy already operates six 212A submarines.
According to the agreement reached in March 2021, the first submarine will be delivered in 2029. The total cost framework for submarine projects is NOK 45 billion. In addition to the submarine contract, this framework includes arms procurement, implementation costs and contingency provisions like the future naval strike missile.
ORCCA will be the combat management system of these new submarine.
About NH-90 helicopters:
Airbus Helicopters Deutschland delivered the first NH-90 Sea Lion to the German Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Utilisation of the German Armed Forces (BAAINBw) on October 24, 2019, but due to insufficient and incomplete technical documentation, the German Navy did not start initial flight operations. The German MoD announced that significant irregularities prevented safe action during operation of the helicopter on November 27, 2019.
In total, 18 Sea Lions have been ordered for the German Navy, with deliveries expected to be completed in 2022. The selection of the Sea Lion as the successor to the Sea King was made in March 2013 and the corresponding contract was signed in June 2015.
Nine have been delivered to date (as of April 30, 2021), and according to the contractual agreement, five more aircraft are to be delivered in 2021 and four in 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has already announced that delivery of one of the five production helicopters will likely be delayed from 2021 to 2022.
Delivery of the first NH90 Sea Lion in Step 1 configuration occurred on October 24, 2019, with the Navy beginning flight operations in early June 2020. Final build status (Step 2 configuration) is still scheduled for early 2022 due to delays in avionics qualification and integration. Upgrade from Stage 1 to Stage 2 is planned for 2022 to 2024. Delays in development, qualification and delivery must be avoided to ensure uninterrupted task performance after the Sea King Mk41 end-of-life in 2023.
About Naval Strike Missile Block 1A
The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) Block 1A weapon system is a long-range sea-going missile system but that can also be used against land targets in a secondary role that will feature in 124, 125 and 126 class frigates in the future. It replaces the Harpoon guided missile system, which has reached the end of its service life.
Based on the German-Norwegian naval armament cooperation, procurement will be carried out by Norway as the lead nation. In a further step, a joint German-Norwegian development of a new Future Naval Strike Missile sea-going missile system is planned. This development project will be carried out as a stand-alone project and offers the opportunity to achieve urgently needed capabilities with the participation of German industry.
About replenishment oiler 707-class
On July 17. 2019, the Bundeswehr Inspector General announced the procurement of the future Type 707 replenishment oilers for the German Navy. In 2018, Germany announced that the two existing Type 704 Rhön-class tankers “Rhön” and “Spessart” – that have been in service since 1977 – will be decommissioned in 2025.
The approved project on June 23. 2021, includes the design and construction of the new Class 707. In addition, the services to be provided to achieve readiness for supply include initial spare parts requirements, special tools and training. Germany has consistently indicated two ships to NATO through 2040 to provide the capability to supply operating materials to allied navies as well.
Specifications compared: Type 704 (Rhön-class) / Future Type 707
| Length | 130 Meters | 170 Meters |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 19 Meters | 24 Meters |
| Draft | 8 Meters | 8 Meters |
| Speed | 16 Knots | 20 Knots |
| Displacement | 14.200 Tons | > 20.000 Tons |
| Fuel capacity | 11.500 Tons | 15.000 Tons |
| Container stations | 2 | 20 |
| Crew | 42 | 42 |
