News
July 31, 2026
WILHELMSHAVEN, Germany. Rheinmetall won a contract to modernize the German Navy’s F123-class frigate Bayern and extend its operational service life until at least 2035, the company announced in a statement.
The contract, awarded at the end of the second quarter of 2026, is valued in the mid-three-digit million-euro range. Modernization work is scheduled to continue through 2029 at Rheinmetall’s Neue Jadewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven.
The program includes replacement of the frigate’s combat-management system, modernization of its radar sensor suite, and upgrades to anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Rheinmetall will also overhaul essential shipboard engineering equipment and the vessel’s propulsion and drive systems.
The 143-meter Bayern entered German Navy service in 1996. According to Rheinmetall, the upgrades are intended to adapt the vessel to current operational requirements while maintaining readiness for future missions.
The frigate is currently berthed at Neue Jadewerft, where crews are removing major components ahead of the modernization work. After that phase is completed, the vessel will be transferred to the shipyard’s dry dock.
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