FGS Braunschweig (F260)

History

After World War II, many navies around the world tended to build smaller warships. The cost of building large warships, combined with the huge shipyards and resources required to build them, runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Shrinking defense budgets after the war, missile technology, and the advent of advanced aircraft were among the main reasons why the "Cannon" battleship was lost in naval history. In fact, no battleship has been built anywhere in the world since the last Iowa-class battleship entered service in 1944.

The "frigate" class of warships is by no means a new type of ship, but it's making a comeback in many countries with established navies, especially those bordering smaller public waters. The ships displace between 600 and 3,000 tonsa far cry from the gigantic battleships of World War II.

The newest frigate of the German Navy is the Braunschweig ocean-going ship class "K130". The F260 Braunschweig is the battleship of her five-person class, displacing 1,840 tons. These frigates are small enough to maneuver for coastal patrol duties, but large enough for marine "blue water" missions. Construction of this class allows the vessel to be manufactured as a single major component and for final assembly at the shipyard. Final assembly of the F260 Braunschweig takes place at the Blohm & Voss shipyard.

She was placed on December 3, 2004, and officially launched on April 19, 2006.

Braunschweig was commissioned on 16 April 2008, but during sea trials a defect was found in her engine gearbox - from the Swiss contractor MAAG in Winterthur. Other boats have done the same engine arrangement and have not experienced this fatal gear failure.

MAAG opted to reduce weight for better speed, using lightweight gears, which in turn led to the shortcomings identified in early trials. Nonetheless, the first two ships remain in service, while the final three frigates in the class have had their commissioning delayed until equipment can be replaced.

The F260 measures just 292' 5" long (89.12m) x 43' 7" (13.28m) wide. She draws minimal water at 11 feet 2 inches (3.4 meters). The vessel is powered by the aforementioned 2 diesel engines MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 from Switzerland, each producing 14.8 MW and driving two controllable pitch propellers. When geared at full speed, the boat can travel 26 knots (48 km/h or 30 mph) at a constant speed of 15 knots (28 km/h) for a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) (27 km/h) )). However, fuel supplies were scarce and she needed to bid after seven days at sea.

The F260 deploys 65 officers and soldiers. The ship has a sleek, modern look and has some inherent stealth features that help contain radar and infrared signals.

In terms of armament, Brunswick is equipped with 1 x 76mm Otobreda main gun, 2 x 27mm MLG guns, 4 x RBS-15 Mk 3 surface-to-surface anti-ship missiles. The Bray function can also be used if desired. 2 x 21 cell RAM rocket launchers provide close range defense. The 76mm deck gun is a compact enough system to be mounted on small warships with a rate of fire of 85-120 rpm.

This makes it suitable for anti-missile, anti-air and anti-ship surface defense, as well as being used as an offensive fire support weapon for amphibious landings. Designed to counter threats from incoming missiles and low-flying aircraft, the two MLG 27mm automatic cannons are high-performance single-barreled weapons, operated by a fully automatic, electric, pneumatic system at 1,700 rounds per minute at select rates of 1,000 or 1,000.

A stern hangar is dedicated to accommodate two of the six "Camcopter" S-100 unmanned helicopters ordered by the German Navy. Made by the Austrian company Schiebel, the drone resembles a small helicopter weighing about 200 kilograms and has a fuel capacity that can fly for six hours. Powered by a 55-horsepower Diamond engine, she traveled 140 mph (220 km/h) and could reach a maximum of 18,000 ft (5,500 m). The S-100 is not currently a weapons platform, but can carry a variety of payloads, such as electro-optical and infrared sensors, to help extend the "range" of Brunswick itself.

The outer flight deck at the stern is large enough to accommodate and launch a medium manned helicopter.

Specification

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