Bremen-class (F122)

The Bremen-class (F122) frigates were a series of eight vessels commissioned for the German Navy between 1982 and 1990. The design was based on the Dutch Kortenaer class but utilized a different propulsion system and hangar layout. These ships were among the final vessels constructed under post-war displacement limitations imposed on West Germany by the Western European Union. Construction took place at several shipyards, including Bremer Vulkan, AG Weser, Blohm + Voss, Nordseewerke, and Howaldtswerke.

The primary design objective for the Bremen class was anti-submarine warfare, although the ships were built without towed array sonars. The vessels also possessed anti-surface and point-defense anti-aircraft capabilities. Propulsion was provided by a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) system using diesel engines and gas turbines. The configuration included two propeller shafts with controllable pitch propellers. For aviation operations, each ship provided space for two Sea Lynx Mk.88A helicopters equipped for anti-submarine and anti-surface tasks.

All eight vessels were based in Wilhelmshaven as the 4th Frigate Squadron and served as a central element of the German Navy's surface fleet. During the Cold War, their primary mission was the escort of reinforcement and resupply convoys for allied forces in the North Atlantic. The class regularly participated in NATO Standing Naval Forces. Following the Cold War, the ships were deployed to additional missions, including embargo operations in the Adriatic Sea and counter-terrorism operations under Operation Enduring Freedom.

Specific vessels recorded various operational actions during their service. In 2008, the Karlsruhe assisted a merchant vessel in repelling pirates in the Gulf of Aden. In 2012, the Rheinland-Pfalz was utilized for intelligence gathering during the Syrian Civil War. The Augsburg deployed to the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas in 2015 to support a French carrier group during interventions against ISIS. The class was decommissioned between 2012 and 2022 and replaced by the F125 Baden-Württemberg class.