German Federal Ministry of Defense Halts F126 Frigate Project After Billion-Euro Costs

The F126 frigates were intended primarily for anti-submarine warfare and to replace older ships of the German Navy. The procurement of six new ships was planned. Russia, which operates one of the world's largest submarine fleets, could theoretically threaten raw material and trade routes as well as critical underwater infrastructure such as pipelines and communication cables, according to the rationale given for the requirement.

Alternative MEKO A-200: Faster Replacement with Trade-offs

As an alternative, Pistorius has now announced the purchase of eight MEKO A-200 frigates, to be built by the German manufacturer TKMS. The total order volume is reportedly 11.6 billion euros. Compared to the F126, around one billion euros per ship would be saved. Pistorius stressed that both the Hamburg shipyard Blohm + Voss and the shipyard in Wolgast would be included in production.

The MEKO A-200s are designed for anti-submarine warfare, but have less ammunition capacity and a shorter range than the F126. The Inspector of the German Navy, Jan Christian Kaack, nevertheless explained that the MEKO ships could fulfill the navy’s core mission and Germany's NATO obligations.

Criticism from the Opposition

The opposition sharply criticized the end of the project and the financial damage incurred. Green Party defense politician Robin Wagener said on Deutschlandfunk: „Es ist sehr schmerzhaft, dass diese Milliarden jetzt in den Sand gesetzt wurden. Aber es ist besser, irgendwann den klaren Cut zu machen als immer noch mehr Geld in ein Projekt, was am Ende nicht zum Ziel führt, fließen zu lassen.“ He also criticized the minister's long hesitation: „Es ist eigentlich unverantwortlich, dass der Minister so lange gezögert hat, diese Entscheidung zu treffen.“

The Green Party's budget policy spokesperson, Schäfer, also held Pistorius responsible for the costs already incurred of 2.3 billion euros. He described the MEKO project on Deutschlandfunk as a „großes Fragezeichen“ and pointed out that costs would also rise for the new MEKO A-200s. At the same time, Schäfer emphasized that investment in the Bundeswehr was necessary, but had to be made as cost-effectively as possible.

Consequences and Next Steps

Dietmar Bartsch, budget policy spokesperson for The Left (Die Linke), criticized that warnings about the problems of the F126 project had been ignored. He spoke of a „teuren Blamage“. The opposition also pointed out that the difficulties with the project had long been known.

The Ministry of Defense declined to comment on the exact amount of the financial damage in response to a Deutschlandfunk inquiry. However, it said it would examine whether claims for damages could be asserted against the Dutch Damen shipyard. The Bundestag's Budget Committee is to decide on the procurement of the alternative frigates as soon as possible.

Pistorius justified the end of the F126 with a clear commitment to the ability to act: „Lieber ein hartes Ende als eine dauerhafte Hängepartie. Die können wir uns nicht leisten, weder finanziell noch zeitlich. Die Marine braucht dringend neue Fregatten, die sie befähigen zur U-Boot-Jagd.“ Green politician Wagener also stressed: „wir Schiffe haben, die so schnell wie möglich im Wasser sind und eingesetzt werden können" sei Priorität.