The first five units of the corvette were commissioned between 2008 and 2013. A contract for the second batch of five units was awarded in September 2017 to a consortium composed of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, German Naval Yards Kiel and Lürssen Werft, who serves as the prime contractor.
The second batch of corvettes will have improved combat systems, and a test and training center in Wilhelmshaven will be set up and delivered by the FüWES K130 consortium.
The K130 corvettes are designed for coastal waters and are intended to augment the capabilities of fast attack boats and frigates. The 90-meter ships are equipped with two 27 mm Mauser MLG27 remote-controlled, fully-automatic cannons, and one OTO Melara 76 mm gun. They also feature a helicopter landing deck and use the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) – guided naval missile for close-in defense against anti-ship missiles, aircraft, helicopters and surface threats.
The decision to acquire additional ships in the class was made due to the German Navy’s increased scope and tempo of operations and the delay in the MKS 180 multi-purpose warship project.
The christening of the Emden is an important milestone for the German Navy’s modernization efforts, and the new corvettes are expected to significantly enhance the Navy’s ability to protect coastal waters.
