Lütjens class destroyer

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Mölders as museum ship
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Mölders as museum ship

The Type 103 Lütjens class was the last class of destroyers in service with the German Navy. Basically the ships were Charles F. Adams class guided missile destroyers but with some modifications to meet German requirements:

  • Communication systems according to German standards. The Lütjens class has more arials and a second mast mounted on the aft funnel, the large air surveillance radar is positioned further aft (above the funnel).
  • Different funnel design. This was necessary because of the new antennas and radar location. On the Lütjens the exhaust gases are emitted sideways with two pipes on the port and starboardside of each funnel.
  • New location of the sonar array: The Lütjens has its sonar dome located in a bulge directed forward in the bow and not under the bow to reduce the ship's draft.
  • Better crew accommodations.

The Lütjens class have been upgraded to Type 103A in the 70s with new digital fire-control computers and better missiles for the old Tartar SM1 missile system. Also the boilers have been converted to burn lighter oil for logistical reasons instead of the heavy fuel oil that needs to be preheated.

A second major refit began in the 1980s, with new fire control computers and radar for the guns.

In the 1990s, the ships in the class each received two RAM launchers and Chaff launchers.

They were replaced by the new Sachsen class frigates, designated frigate even though they were larger and more capable in all aspects than the Lütjens class destroyer. With the decommissioning of Lütjens (D185) on December 18, 2003 the age of steam has ended for the German Navy. Mölders (D186) became a Museum Ship at the German Navy Museum in Wilhelmshaven.

Contents

[edit] Specifications of type 103B

Notes: Speeds over 30 kt could only sustained for a limited time due to the enormous fuel consumption. With two active Boilers the Ship could achieve Speeds up to 27 knots. Three Boilers made 30 knots achievable. For any Speed beyond 30 knots all four boilers were needed.

[edit] List of ships

Pennant
number
Name Call
sign
Commissioned Decom-
missioned
Fate
D185 Lütjens DRAE March 22, 1969 December 18, 2003 to be sold as target ship to the USA
D186 Mölders DRAF September 20, 1969 May 28, 2003 Museum ship in Wilhelmshaven
D187 Rommel DRAG May 20, 1970 September 30, 1998 cannibalized, 2004 scrapped in Turkey

All three ships have been built by Bath Iron Works in the USA. They were named after famous German officers that died in World War II. In service they formed the 1. Zerstörergeschwader (first destroyer squadron) and were based in Kiel.

[edit] Trivia

  • The ships were nicknamed "The three holy cows" in the German Navy because of their high-priority status.
  • They were the last steam powered units in service with the German Navy.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

Ship classes of the Deutsche Marine
Destroyers 101A Hamburg | 103B Lütjens
Frigates and Corvettes 122 Bremen | 123 Brandenburg | 124 Sachsen | F125 | 130 Braunschweig
Fast Attack Craft 143 Albatros | 143A Gepard | 148 Tiger
Mine warfare 332 Frankenthal | 333 Kulmbach | 352 Ensdorf | 742A Mühlhausen
Submarines 205B | 206A | 212A
Auxiliary ships 404 Elbe | 423 Oste | 441 Gorch Fock | 520 Barbe | 702 Berlin | 703 Walchensee | 704 Rhön | 720 Helgoland | 721 Eisvogel | 722 Wangerooge | 760 Westerwald
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