Rheinmetall to Modernize German Navy Frigate BAYERN (F123)
German defense group Rheinmetall announced on July 30, 2026, that it has been awarded a contract to overhaul the German Navy’s F123-class frigate BAYERN. According to the company, the work will be carried out at the Neue Jadewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven, a Rheinmetall subsidiary, and is scheduled to run through 2029.
Scope of the contract
Rheinmetall said the contract value falls in the mid three-digit-million-euro range, without disclosing an exact figure. BAYERN, a 143-meter frigate, entered service with the German Navy in 1996. The overhaul covers replacement of the ship’s combat management system, an overhaul of shipboard engineering systems, and modernization of radar sensors.
The work also includes maintenance of the propulsion and drive systems and upgrades to the ship’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities. According to Naval News, the project is intended to keep BAYERN operational until at least 2035.
Background
The Brandenburg-class (F123) frigates entered German Navy service in the mid-1990s to strengthen the fleet’s anti-submarine warfare capacity in the post-Cold War period. BAYERN is one of four ships in the class. Delays and scope changes in Germany’s next-generation F126 frigate program have made extending the service life of the existing F123 fleet a strategic priority.
Naval News reported in June 2026 that Germany had revised the F126 project and moved toward procuring eight MEKO-class frigates instead, a shift that further underscored the need to modernize the F123 fleet in the interim.
Rheinmetall’s role in the program
Rheinmetall has expanded its footprint in naval platforms in recent years. The project, to be carried out through the Neue Jadewerft shipyard, is seen as part of the company’s push beyond land systems into the naval maintenance, repair and overhaul segment. In its statement, Rheinmetall said the goal is to hand the ship back to the German Navy on time and to the required quality standard.
Regional and NATO context
Sustaining Germany’s naval capabilities matters for NATO’s deterrence posture in the Baltic and North Sea. Strengthening anti-submarine warfare capability is viewed as an alliance-wide priority amid increased submarine activity in the region.
From a Turkish industry perspective, Rheinmetall’s growing footprint in the frigate modernization market is a trend followed closely by Turkish shipyards active in similar segments. The tendency among European navies to extend the service life of existing fleets points to intensifying competition in modernization and refit projects for mid-size shipyards.
Sources
1. Rheinmetall AG – “Rheinmetall to modernise F123 frigate for the German Navy” – July 30, 2026. Used for contract scope, value range and shipyard details. Link: https://www.rheinmetall.com/de/media/news-watch/news/2026/07/2026-07-30-rheinmetall-modernisiert-f123-fregatte
2. Naval News – “Rheinmetall Secures Contract to Modernize German Navy’s F123 Frigate” – July 30, 2026. Used for technical scope, timeline and operational goal. Link: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/07/rheinmetall-german-navy-f123-frigate-modernization-contract/
3. Naval News – “Germany is cancelling the F126 frigate project and procuring eight MEKO frigates” – June 2026. Used for background on the F126 program link. Link: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/06/germany-is-cancelling-the-f126-frigate-project-and-procuring-eight-meko-frigates/
