The German Navy has christened its final Braunschweig-class corvette at Rheinmetall’s Blohm and Voss site in Hamburg.

Designated the FGS Lübeck (F269), the ship is the fifth system under the program’s second batch of construction and the 10th of the overall initiative, all to replace the retired Gepard-class (Type 143A) fast attack craft fleet adopted in the 1980s.

Huong Nguyen, partner of Lübeck’s City President Henning Schumann, officially announced the new vessel’s namesake during the ceremony, attended by representatives from the German Armed Forces and regional leaders.

After the ceremony, the corvette will undergo additional tests, acceptance processes, and final outfitting before being commissioned into the service.

Rheinmetall stated that the ship will be deployed for coastal operations, reconnaissance, and anti-surface warfare, with a focus on the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

Rheinmetall’s First

Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, said the Hamburg event marks a milestone as the company’s first naming ceremony participation since its early 2026 expansion into shipbuilding through the acquisition of Blohm and Voss shipyard’s parent company, Naval Vessels Lürssen.

“Together with our new Naval Systems division and through our leading role in this and other important shipbuilding projects, we are taking responsibility for strengthening the defence capabilities of our country and our NATO partners,” Papperger stated.

“My thanks go to all employees and our partners whose dedication is driving the completion of these technologically sophisticated naval units.”

Following the event, Rheinmetall is expected to deliver the sixth and seventh platforms under the Braunschweig program, the FGS Köln (F265) and the FGS Emden (F266), to the German Navy later this year.

Braunschweig Specifications

Berlin’s Braunschweig system measures 89 meters (272 feet) in length, has a beam of 13 meters (43 feet), and a capacity for up to 65 sailors, as well as a maritime helicopter and unmanned aerial systems.

It is equipped with multi-ammunition softkill decoy launchers, multiple sensors, and an advanced communications suite to maintain readiness in contested domains.

The corvette is armed with a 76-millimeter gun, twin 27-millimeter revolver autocannons, anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and naval mines.

The vessel is fitted with two MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines with a combined output of almost 20,000 horsepower, supporting a speed of 26 knots (48 kilometers/30 miles per hour), a range of 4,000 nautical miles (7,408 kilometers/4,603 miles), and an endurance of up to 21 days.