Fgs Ludwigshafen Am Rhein

European Union Naval Force - Mediterranean Operation SOPHIA

FGS LUDWIGSHAFEN AM RHEIN

Corvette Type K130 Braunschweig class

Corvette Type K130 Braunschweig class Length / Beam / Draft 89,12 m / 13,28 m / 4,35 m Displacement 1.840 t Speed >26 kts

Source: German Navy website www.marine.de

The Ship

The corvette ”LUDWIGSHAFEN AM RHEIN“ is the fifth ship out of a series of 5 units of the class K130, in accordance with the name of the type-ship also called ”BRAUNSCHWEIG“-class. Her NATO code number is ”F264“. She was built at Friedrich Luerssen shipyard in Bremen, where the keel was laid down on February 23, 2006. On September 26, 2007 the hull was launched and baptized at the same time. After completion of sea trials the new corvette was commissioned on March 21, 2013. She is the first naval ship with this name. The corvette has been named after Ludwigshafen, a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is located on the Rhine river. The crest of the city Ludwigshafen simultaneously is the crest which the corvette is showing on her bow. As already during the time of the former fast patrol boat “PANTHER” the government of Ludwigshafen has taken over a god parenthood to ship and crew. So the mayor of Ludwigshafen, Mrs. Dr. Eva Lohse, was named as godmother and celebrated the christening ceremony. The ship belongs to the 1st Corvette Squadron and is home based in Warnemuende on the Baltic Sea. The main task of the corvette is to be sustainable in operating areas and to demonstrate permanent presence there. In addition to surveillance, reconnaissance and security operations, the corvettes shall also protect and control military and civilian shipping and sea lines of communications in coastal waters. As part of their anti-surface warfare (ASUW) capabilities, the corvettes will coordinate naval warfare means in the operating area and assume command and control of sub formations on the tactical level. During intervention operations, operational tasks will also include anti-surface operations and the engagement of unconventional surface targets, e.g. asymmetric threats on the high seas or in littoral waters. Equipped with several different sensors, a modern command system with integrated capability of real time data transfer and a well-balanced weapon mixture the corvette is mainly fitted and suited for anti-surface warfare of maritime operation. The revolutionary crew concept is one of the most outstanding features of the K130 class corvettes. The crew of the corvette consists of only 58 male and female soldiers. It is possible to embark 7 people additionally. Since the “LUDWIGSHAFEN AM RHEIN” was commissioned up to now 2 Commanding Officers have commanded ship and crew. The corvette has visited approximately 20 harbours in 3 continents. She participated in few international exercises and the crew was executing the United Nations Mission UNIFIL off the coast of Lebanon. The corvette “LUDWIGSHAFEN AM RHEIN” is the almost youngest ship in the German navy fleet.

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