On Wednesday, 19 November 2025, the NVL Group Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast (formerly Fr. Lürssen Werft), located in the German state of Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, hosted the keel-laying ceremony for the second of three new Type 424 electronic intelligence ships, which will replace the Type 423 Oste-class vessels in the German Navy (Deutsche Marine). The first steel for the ship was cut only recently, on 4 September of this year, and the keel-laying ceremony took place several months ahead of the planned schedule.
Grafika: NVL Group
The ceremony was attended by Rear Adm. Andreas Czerwinski, head of the naval division at the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), Vice Adm. Axel Deertz, Deputy Inspector of the Navy and Commander of the Fleet and Support Forces, Lt. Gen. Jürgen Setzer, Deputy Inspector of the Cyber and Information Domain Service (CIR) and Commander of CIR forces, as well as Klaus Heilinglechner, the mayor of Wolfratshausen, the ship’s future namesake partner city.
“I am extremely pleased that, together with the contractor, we have succeeded in reaching this important project milestone even ahead of the actual schedule. This shows that all parties understand that time is of the highest priority,” said Rear Admiral Czerwinski.
“For every fleet commander, the keel-laying of a new vessel is a cause for celebration. In this case, the project is also several months ahead of schedule. With the new technology, we will adapt the way these ships are employed. This ensures that not only the grey steel, but also the way the ships are used, keeps pace with the times. The fleet service vessels will continue to form an indispensable part of our nation’s overall security architecture,” said Vice Admiral Deertz.
“The three Type 424 fleet service vessels represent an essential component for fulfilling the mission of the Cyber and Information Domain Service, that is, intelligence gathering in the electromagnetic spectrum. Today we are taking a very significant step forward toward that goal,” added Major General Setzer.
“The construction progress of this state-of-the-art intelligence ship is several months ahead of the originally planned schedule, marking a significant milestone in the overall project. The construction of the first sister ship is also on track, underscoring the professional cooperation between the client and contractor as well as our strong industrial capabilities,” said Tim Wagner, CEO of NVL. “This project stands for the high technological quality and innovative strength of Germany as an industrial base, and we are proud to be making an important contribution, together with our partners, to the modernization of the Bundeswehr’s maritime capabilities.”
The first steel cutting for the prototype ship took place on 21 November 2024 in Lemwerder, Lower Saxony. Subsequently, on 25 February of this year, its keel was laid at the Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast.
The construction results from an R&D contract signed on 24 June 2021 under the Flottendienstboote der Klasse 424 program, as well as a follow-on production contract for three ships signed on 10 July 2023, worth 3.3 billion EUR. Interestingly, the customer had originally expected that design and construction would be completed within 2.1 billion EUR.
The Type 424 electronic reconnaissance ships will each be 132 meters long, with a crew of 42 officers and sailors. Their architecture will also incorporate civilian design solutions. The contract also includes the construction of a simulator center by 2027, while delivery of the prototype ship is scheduled for 2029. The primary task of the new vessels will be signals intelligence (SIGINT), intercepting and gathering electronic signals, and the detailed specifications of their equipment remain classified.
The new ships will replace the three Type 423 Oste vessels: FGS Alster (A 50), FGS Oste (A 52), and FGS Oker (A 53), which entered service between 1988 and 1989. These older ships measure 83.5 m in length, 14.6 m in beam, and displace 3,200 tons. The first of them visited the Port of Gdynia on 23–24 April 2023 to replenish supplies and fuel. The ship conducts monitoring of the Kaliningrad region, in connection with the ongoing full-scale Russian–Ukrainian war.
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