German frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen

	Nordrhein-Westfalen on 9 May 2017.
History
Germany
Name	Nordrhein-Westfalen
Namesake	Nordrhein-Westfalen
Port of registry	Hamburg, Germany
Builder	Lürssen, Wolgast Blohm+Voss, Hamburg
Laid down	24 October 2012
Launched	16 April 2015
Commissioned	10 June 2020
Identification	MMSI number: 211921000; Callsign: DRAE; Pennant number: F223;
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Baden-Württemberg-class frigate
Displacement	7,200 tonnes
Length	149.52 m (490 ft 7 in)
Beam	18.80 m (61 ft 8 in)
Draught	5 m (16 ft 5 in)
Propulsion	CODLAG; 1 × 20 MW gas turbine; 2 × 4.7 MW electric motors; 4 × 2.9 MW diesel generators; 3 × gearboxes: one for each shaft and one to crossconnect the gas turbine to them; 2 × shafts, driving controllable pitch propellers; 1 × 1 MW bow thruster;
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h) on diesel only, 26 kn (48 km/h) max.
Range	4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km)
Boats & landing ; craft carried	Submarine ROVs; 4 × 11 m (36 ft 1 in) RHIB, capable of more than 40 kn (74 km/h);
Capacity	Space for two 6.1 m (20 ft 0 in) containers
Complement	190 (standard crew: 110)
Sensors and ; processing systems	1 × Cassidian TRS-4D AESA radar; 2(?) × navigation radars; IFF; diver and swimmer detection sonar (no anti-submarine sonar); Laser warning; KORA-18 Combined RADAR and COMMS ESM from GEDIS; Link 11, Link 16, Link 22 communications systems;
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	TKWA/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System); ECM;
Armament	Naval guns:; 1 × 127 mm lightweight Otobreda naval gun with guided VULCANO ammunition for land-attack missions (range: more than 100 km (62 mi)); 2 × 27 mm MLG 27 remote-controlled autocannons; 5 × 12.7 mm Hitrole-NT remote-controlled machine gun turrets; 2 × 12.7 mm heavy machine guns (manually controlled); Anti-air missiles:; 2 × RAM Block II surface-to-air missile launcher/CIWS, 21 cells each; Anti-ship missiles:; 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles (interim solution until joint sea/land attack missile RBS 15 MK4 becomes available); Non-Lethal:; Water cannons;
Aircraft carried	2 × NH-90 helicopters

Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223) is the second ship of the Baden-Württemberg-class frigates of the German Navy.

Background

Nordrhein-Westfalen was designed and constructed by ARGE F125, a joint-venture of Thyssen-Krupp and Lürssen. She is part of the Baden-Württemberg class has the highest displacement of any class of frigate worldwide, and are used to replace the Bremen class.^[1]^[2]

Construction and career

Nordrhein-Westfalen was laid down on 24 October 2012 and launched on 16 April 2015 in Hamburg. She was commissioned on 10 June 2020.^[3]^[4]

Gallery

Nordrhein-Westfalen gallery
Nordrhein-Westfalen moored opposite Rheinland-Pfalz on 31 August 2019
Nordrhein-Westfalen being towed into dock 17 of the Blohm and Voss (B&V) shipyard on 10 November 2015.
Nordrhein-Westfalen on 22 May 2019.