TKMS welcomes today’s approval by the German Bundestag’s Budget Committee of the procurement of four MEKO® A-200 DEU-class frigates, as well as the option outlined in the resolution to procure additional MEKO® A-200 DEU vessels. This clears the way for the formal signing of the contract. The first frigate will be delivered to the German Navy as early as 2029. This is the largest surface vessels contract in TKMS’s history. The MEKO® A-200 DEU is intended to strengthen the German Navy’s capabilities, particularly in anti-submarine warfare. With the arrival of the new frigates, additional capabilities for the fleet’s core missions will soon be available as part of the fleet’s integrated operations.
“We welcome today’s approval by the German Bundestag’s Budget Committee of the procurement of four MEKO® A-200 DEU-class frigates, as well as the option outlined in the resolution to procure additional MEKO® A-200 DEU vessels. This decision is an important step toward strengthening the capabilities of the German Navy. We are aware of our responsibility to build these ships very quickly due to the security situation, as stipulated in the contracts. We will now address this together with our industry partners from across Germany. Timeline delivery is a key factor for us here. The decision to select the MEKO® A-200 DEU also sends an important signal to the maritime security and defense industry in Germany and underscores the importance of strong maritime capabilities for national and alliance defense,” said Oliver Burkhard, CEO of TKMS.
The MEKO family of warships was developed by the German company Blohm+Voss. MEKO is a registered trademark. The portmanteau stands for “Mehrzweck-Kombination” (English: multi-purpose-combination). It is a concept in modern naval shipbuilding based on modularity of armament, electronics and other equipment, aiming at ease of maintenance and cost reduction. MEKO ships include families of frigates, corvettes and ocean-going patrol boats. The MEKO® A-200 DEU is based on an internationally proven, cost-efficient, and scalable ship design. In recent months, important preparatory work for the construction of the ships has already been completed, thereby laying the groundwork for the rapid implementation of the project.
TKMS AG & Co. KGaA (ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems) is a group and holding company of providers of naval vessels, surface ships and submarines. It was founded when large industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp acquired Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in January 2005. Backed by over 185 years of naval engineering expertise, the company specializes in the design, development, and production of conventional non-nuclear submarines, advanced surface vessels such as frigates and corvettes, as well as cutting-edge maritime software, electronics, and sensor systems through ATLAS ELEKTRONIK. Operating worldwide with a dedicated workforce across major shipyards in Germany and Brazil, the group consists of: Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in Kiel, Germany, TKMS Wismar in Wismar, Germany, Atlas Elektronik in Bremen, Germany and Estaleiro Brasil Sul in Itajaí, Brazil.
