Sachsen-class Frigate

The F124 Sachsen-class is Germany's latest class of highly advanced air-defense frigates. The design of the Sachsen-class frigate is based on that of the F123 Brandenburg-class but with enhanced stealth features intended to deceive any opponent's radar and acoustic sensors and incorporate also the advanced multifunction radar APAR as well as the SMART-L long-range radar which is claimed to be capable of detecting stealth aircraft and stealth missiles. Although designated as frigates, they are in capability and size comparable to destroyers.

At €2.8 billion for only four ships, this was one of the most expensive ship building programs of the German Navy. They are similar to the Dutch De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates. Both the Sachsen class and the De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates are based on the use of a common primary anti-air warfare system built around the APAR and SMART-L radars and the area-defence SM-2 Block IIIA and point-defence Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) surface-to-air missiles.

In June 1996 the German government contracted for three ships with an option on a fourth that was provisionally to have been named as the BMS Thüringen, but the option for this fourth ship was not taken up.

The F124-class frigates are larger and much more capable in all aspects than the Lütjens-class destroyers, which they replaced.

Specifications

 * Type: Guided Missile Frigate
 * Service Period: 2003-Present
 * Characteristics
 * Length: 469 feet 2 inches (143 meters)
 * Beam: 57 feet 2.6 inches (17.44 meters)
 * Draft: 16 feet 4.85 inches (5.0 meters)
 * Displacement: 5,960 tons
 * Crew: 243

Unit Run

 * BMS Sachsen (F219)
 * BMS Hamburg (F220)
 * BMS Hessen (F221)
 * BMS Thüringen (F222)