Difficulty of Classification
Vessels of this class do not have an executive officer (German: Erster Offizier). Traditionally, in the Germany navy this was used as a rule to classify a vessel as a boat, not a ship. In a press release the German Navy states that these corvettes will be called ships nonetheless because of their size, armament and endurance. The commanding officer wields the same disciplinary power as a German Army company commander, not that of a battalion commander as is the case with the larger German warships such as frigates. However, in size, armament, protection and role these corvettes resemble modern Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW) frigates, the main difference being the total absence of any Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) related sensors or weapons.
Read more about this topic: Braunschweig Class Corvette
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