Germany Approves €6.3 Billion for Four MEKO A-200 Frigates

Germany’s Bundestag Budget Committee has approved €6.3 billion for the first four MEKO A-200 frigates, to be built by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and designated the F128 class.

At a Glance

The approval was granted on 8 July 2026 by the Bundestag Budget Committee.
€6.3 billion is allocated for the first four frigates.
The ships will be designated the F128 class — roughly 4,000-tonne anti-submarine warfare frigates.
A €5.3 billion conditional option covers four more ships, potentially bringing the fleet to eight.
The first frigate is scheduled for delivery in December 2029.

MEKO chosen after the F126 cancellation

Germany’s Bundestag Budget Committee has approved the procurement of the first four MEKO A-200 DEU frigates for the navy. Designated the F128 class, the ships will be built by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), with the €6.3 billion legislative authorization covering these four vessels. The decision also includes a conditional parliamentary option worth €5.3 billion for four additional ships, which would bring the fleet to eight vessels for about €11.6 billion.

The procurement follows Berlin’s June decision to cancel the troubled F126 frigate program amid cost overruns and contractor problems. The committee attached conditions to the authorization because of a cost increase of up to 70 percent over initial plans. The first frigate is expected to be delivered in December 2029.

A frigate built around anti-submarine warfare

At roughly 4,000 tonnes, the MEKO A-200 DEU is configured primarily for anti-submarine warfare (ASW). One of the stated drivers of the program is tracking the growing Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic. The MEKO family is a platform line known for its modular design and export success.

The shift from F126 to MEKO reflects Germany’s search for predictable cost and delivery schedules. By turning to the more mature MEKO line, TKMS aims to bring the ships into service more quickly.

Regional and Strategic Significance

The MEKO family rests on a design tradition present in many navies, including Turkey’s, and shares kinship with the modular frigate approach referenced by projects such as the Turkish MILGEM. Germany selecting the MEKO A-200 for its own navy underscores the platform’s maturity and prevalence within NATO.

The program signals that European navies are again prioritizing anti-submarine warfare, as rising undersea threats in the Atlantic and North Sea push demand for ASW-focused frigates.