German Brandenburg-class frigates will receive RBS-15 Mk.3 anti-ship missiles

Germany will arm Brandenburg-class frigates (F123) with RBS-15 Mk.3 anti-ship missiles, according to a document published on the Tenders Electronic Daily platform.

Here's What We Know

The German Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Saab. The agreement aims to analyse the possibilities of integrating the RBS-15 Mk.3 anti-ship missile and the Saab 9LV combat control system.

At the moment, Saab 9LV is only scheduled to be installed on four German Navy ships. These are the Brandenburg class frigates. The first ship is already undergoing a lengthy modernisation that will extend its service life.

The RBS-15 Mk.3 is not a new weapon for the German Navy. The missiles are installed on the K130 class corvettes, but these ships use a different combat control system. It is created by Atlas and Thales.

As for the Brandenburg frigates, in their case the RBS-15 Mk.3 will be a replacement for the Exocet MM38. The French anti-ship missiles have been withdrawn from service after the end of their service life. The F126, F125 and F124 frigates, on the other hand, will receive the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile.

At first glance, the choice of the RBS-15 Mk.3 for the F123 may seem unexpected. However, Saab is the prime contractor for the modernisation and is also responsible for the integration of the combat control system and all sensors. Therefore, the company should have no problem arming the Brandenburg-class frigates with anti-ship missiles.

Source: Naval News