Braunschweig Class Corvette - Technical Problems

Technical Problems

The new lightweight gearing of the corvettes has experienced severe problems. Until the Swiss contractor for the gearing, MAAG of Winterthur, Switzerland, for whom this was the first contract with the German Navy, can remedy the constructional deficiencies which have been identified early in the operation of the first vessels the commissioning of the three not yet commissioned corvettes has been delayed. They, as well as the first two already commissioned units, are currently laid up and unable to go to sea until the projected changes to the gearing have been effected. New issues have occurred with air conditioning system, gears, toxic exposition by the exhaust system and missile system. While the corvettes were originally projected to be commissioned between May 2007 and February 2009 operational capability is currently expected for 2014.