NVL press release issues in German – Translation by Naval News
Together with Annette Lehnigk-Emden, President of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), Flotilla Admiral Andreas Czerwinski, Head of the BAAINBw’s Maritime Department, Lürssen Managing Director Justus Reinke, and Tim Wagner, CEO of NVL, pressed the start button to start up the plasma cutting system for the symbolic first steel cut.
This means that the first of a total of three new fleet service boats for the German Armed Forces is now taking shape. The public client had commissioned NVL to design the new reconnaissance vessels in 2021 and to build them in 2023.
“After a successful design phase, we are entering the construction phase as planned. This means that this technologically extremely complex new construction project is well on track. With Lürssen shipyard, we also have a highly competent manufacturing partner on board. We are thus making full use of the skills and resources within the Lürssen Group, which also includes NVL with its new-build sites in Hamburg and Wolgast. In addition, we are cooperating with other northern German shipyard partners and leading German systems engineering companies on this challenging project.” Tim Wagner, NVL CEO.
The approximately 130-metre-long Type 424 fleet service boats will serve the Bundeswehr as reconnaissance platforms for gathering information and are equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology. Their design meets the latest military requirements for future-proof naval vessels.
The new units will replace the current Oste-class units, which have been in service for more than 30 years, and will be available to the German Navy from 2029.
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Naval News comments:
Contract for the design and construction of three new SIGINT (signal intelligence) ships was first signed in 2021 with Lürssen Werft GmbH and also covers training facilities which are expected to be delivered by 2027. Two years later, the green light for the construction is given to NVL (military branch of the Lürssen group). As expected, details regarding systems that will be fitted are not known at this stage but requirements highlighted the need for “self-protection, command and control capabilities and the need for extremely low-noise propulsion systems”.
