On August 6 German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) revealed offering a MEKO (Mehrzweck-Kombination, multipurpose combination) A-300 PL missile frigate as a bid for Polish Miecznik (“Swordfish”) coast defense ship program.
German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems offered a missile frigate MEKO A-300 PL for the Polish Miecznik coast defense ship program. The photo shows a related MEKO A-200 frigate. / Photo: TKMS
TKMS is one of the three potential contractors, whose concepts will be refined by the end of November this year, along with Spanish Navantia (offering F-100), and British Bacock (Arrowhead 140). At the turn of 2021-22 the best concept will be selected with the specific project development following.
Dr Rolf Wirtz, chief executive director of TKMS said:
As a leading provider of frigate technology for nineteen military navies across the world, including six NATOfleets, ThyssenKrupp Marine System is proud to offer Poland MEKO A-300 PL, the newest variant of our famous MEKO frigate family.
With the selection of German offer, TKMS will start a permanent technological partnership with Polish industry regarding construction, integration, and extending lifespan of MEKO A-300 PL frigates in Poland. As Wirtz pointed out, cooperation with local industries for manufacture of their ships is a standard practice for TKM, as over 50% of exported ships were built by foreign shipyards. It is worth noting that the A-100 project used for the Polish patrol corvette ORP Ślązak (241), originally designed as Gawron missile corvette, comes from this family of ships.
Analysis
Earlier analyses took into account a possible offer of MEKO A-200, four of which are used by Republic Of South Africa (as MEKO A-200 SAN), and two by Algeria (as MEKO A-200 AN). The not-yet existing MEKO A-300 (together with improved A-200 NG) was already offered to Greece as replacement of their four Hydra frigates (MEKO 200 HN) but the offer was rejected.
Official information regarding MEKO A-300 doesn’t exist, though according to Greek industry portal Doureios Ippos (“Trojan Horse”), ships offered to Greece would have 125-130 meters of length, and displacement of 5500 tons. They would carry up to 64 anti-aircraft missiles, including 32 long range Aster 30 or SM-2MR, and 32 medium range RIM-162 ESSM or CAMM-ER. Its main battery would be a 127-mm naval gun. No information of anti-ship armament was leaked. They would be also equipped with Thales APAR Block 2 multi-purpose radar and Thales SMART-L long range surveillance radar.
It’s worth noting, that in case of weapons carried by surface ships, their quantity and exact types depends on wishes and choices made by the purchaser, for example Polish Ślązak carries less weapons than the initial project or other similar MEKO constructions.
