A ceremony marking commencement of construction work on the third German Navy Type 424 SIGINT reconnaissance vessel has taken place.
And at yesterday’s (Monday’s) event at Rheinmetall’s Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, Germany, Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius also revealed he was initiating the procurement process of a fourth fleet intelligence vessel.
The 130-metre Type 424s will act as reconnaissance platforms for the German Navy, replacing the Bundeswehr’s Oste-class vessels, which have been in service since the latter years of the 1980s. NVL, recently acquired by Rheinmetall, had been commissioned to build the signals/intelligence-gathering (SIGINT) boats in 2023, having designed them two years previously.
Mr Pistorius had joined Minister President Manuela Schwesig and Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger this week for the keel-laying ceremony for the third fleet intelligence vessel, witnessed by high-ranking representatives of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) and other invited guests from industry and government.
At the ceremony Mr Pistorius commented: “The new generation of Class 424 fleet intelligence vessels is equipped with high-performance sensor technology that enables very efficient monitoring of the electromagnetic spectrum across land, air and sea, and allows for even better intelligence gathering.
He added: “Our new capability profile stipulates a total requirement of four fleet intelligence vessels. Three are currently under construction. I have therefore, in close consultation with the Chief of the Navy and the Chief of the Cyber and Information Domain Service, set the course for a fourth sistership. We are now proceeding to the parliamentary vote on this matter.”
Mr Papperger added: “The successful keel-laying, well ahead of schedule, is a strong testament to the capabilities of our entire team. It demonstrates what is possible when planning, technological expertise, and collaborative partnerships are consistently integrated.
“It also showcases the skills and knowledge that make this facility a hub of modern naval shipbuilding.”
Once built in Wolgast, the vessels will be towed to Rheinmetall’s Blohm and Voss shipyard in Hamburg for final outfitting, commissioning, and testing. Steel-cutting on the second Type 424 vessel had begun at the Peene-Werft shipyard in September 2025; the first of the completed Type 424s is now scheduled to go into service in 2029.
- You can read more details on the Rheinmetall website
