Germany starts construction of new Class 424 intelligence ship.

According to information published by the German MoD on July 11, 2023, construction of the new Class 424 fleet service ships for the German Navy has commenced.
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Artist rendering of the future Class 424 fleet service ship. (Picture source: NVL Group)

Just a few days after the German Bundestag's Budget Committee granted its approval, Annette Lehnigk-Emden, the President of the Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), and Tim Wagner, CEO of the NVL Group, signed a contract. This agreement sealed the construction of three new fleet service boats for the German Navy.

The joint design phase came to its conclusion, marking the commencement of the construction and building phase, which will culminate in the acceptance of the Class 424 boats.

Included in this project is a specialized training and reference facility. These three identical boats, with their unique specifications, are a critical component of Germany's national security preparedness.

As a fresh venture, these highly specialized units have been designed to meet high demands for global reconnaissance deployment. They aim to ensure a seamless continuation of capabilities for sea-based signal detection for the German Navy.

The boats' design and construction are grounded in civilian shipbuilding standards and are to be carried out exclusively within Germany. The contract encompasses the execution of the complete construction specifications of the boats, a collaboration between the client and contractor during the design phase.

The delivery schedule sets the arrival of the training facility for 2027, with the first of the three boats to be handed over to the German Navy two years later. In due course, they will gradually replace the Class 423 fleet service boats - OKER, ALSTER, and OSTE - which would have clocked in over 40 years of service by then.

The total estimated cost for the trio of ships and the "Reconnaissance Training and Reference Facility" (ARAA) stands at 2.1 billion Euros. Intriguingly, the technology deployed on these ships is known as "national key technologies."

As such, both the surface shipbuilding and the information technology equipment, inclusive of the encryption technology, weren't open to Europe-wide tendering. Instead, they were specifically assigned.

The primary users of the boats will be the specialists from the Cyber and Information Domain Service (CIR) and the Strategic Reconnaissance Command, while the operational charge lies with the German Navy. Hence, the Class 424 project is a collaboration between the German Navy and CIR, with BAAINBw taking up the role of the procurer.