Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) Group has laid the keel of the German Navy’s first Type 424 signals intelligence (SIGINT) and reconnaissance ship in Wolgast.
The vessel is part of Berlin’s three-vessel project to replace the service’s Type 423 Oste-class fleet, which has been operational since the 1980s.
Each platform resulting from this 3.26-billion-euro ($3.4 billion) effort will utilize sea-based sensors to monitor allied territories and collect data from assets across these theaters.
The first vessel is scheduled to enter service by 2029, while the remainder are expected by 2030 and 2031.
To complement the modern spy ships, NVL will open a training and reference center for the fleet’s future crew in 2027.
“The new fleet service boats will be an absolutely valuable addition to the capabilities of the German Navy and we look forward to being able to use them shoulder to shoulder with our comrades from the [Armed Forces Cyber and Information Domain Service],” German Navy Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack stated during the event.
The Type 424 SIGINT Vessel
Germany’s incoming Type 424 ship is planned to have a hull measuring 132 meters (433 feet) long.
It will have electronic-based technologies for gathering information between surface and sub-surface domains.
Additionally, the vessel will employ a self-protection suite and low-noise engine for discreet operations at sea.
Overall, the platform is expected to exceed the mission capability and performance of its 84-meter (276-foot) predecessor, the Type 423, which has legacy SIGINT, early warning, and communications equipment in use since the Cold War.
