Germany's Defense Ministry has canceled its F126 frigate program due to years of delays and cost overruns. The program, which aimed to build six specialized anti-submarine warships, was initially awarded to Dutch shipbuilder Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in 2020 for roughly €10 billion. However, the ministry announced that Damen had given notice that the ships could not be delivered within the agreed timeline or budget.
The ministry has instead opted to procure eight MEKO A-200 frigates from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. The German Navy's top officer has formally blessed the MEKO A-200 DEU as capable of fulfilling Germany's core submarine-hunting mission and meeting NATO obligations.
The first four MEKO frigates would cost approximately €6.3 billion, with an option for four additional ships exercisable through end-2026 for roughly €5.3 billion — a combined total of €11.6 billion for all eight hulls. The ministry intends to submit the requisite approval paperwork to the Budget Committee of the Bundestag as quickly as possible to stay on target for the NATO capability deadline.
