Albatros-class (Type 143)

The Type 143 Albatros class was a series of missile-bearing fast attack craft developed for the German Navy to replace the Type 141 Seeadler class. Design requirements were finalized in October 1966, and the production order was placed in July 1972. Constructed by German shipbuilders Lürssen Werft and Kröger, each vessel was named after a bird of prey.

The class featured composite hulls designed by Lürssen and used a four-shaft propulsion system powered by MTU diesel engines. Electronic systems included navigation radar and surface search and fire-control radar. For self-defense, the vessels were equipped with decoy and chaff launchers. The armament suite was configured for anti-ship and anti-air warfare, consisting of OTO-Melara guns in fore and aft mounts, Exocet anti-ship missiles in dual mounts, and aft-launching torpedo tubes designed for wire-guided torpedoes.

The German Navy commissioned ten vessels into service between 1976 and 1977. These craft were organized into two units, the 2. Schnellboot Geschwader and the 7. Schnellbootgeschwader, both of which were based at Warnemünde. The class remained in German service until 2005, when all ten vessels were retired. Following their decommissioning, Tunisia acquired six of the boats. These vessels had their missile launchers removed prior to transfer but retained their guns and torpedo systems. In 2010, the Ghana Navy purchased two of the remaining vessels from Germany.