Lütjens class destroyer
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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
- Length: 133.2 m
- Width: 14.3 m
- Draft: 6.1 m
- Displacement: 4720t
- Propulsion:
- Power generation:
- 4 turbo generators, 750kW each
- 2 diesel generators
- Sensors:
- AN/SPS-40 2D air surveillance and early-warning radar, long-range
- AN/SPS-67 sea surveillance radar, med-range
- AN/SPS-52 3D air surveillance radar, long-range
- 2 SPG-51C Mk 74 fire-control radars
- SPQ-9 short range fire-control radar for surface and low flying targets
- SPG-60 tracking and fire control radar (also radar illumination for the missiles)
- Raytheon RP 1225 navigation radar
- Atlas Elektronik DSQS-21B active/passive sonar
- EADS FL1800 ESM suite
- Countermeasures:
- Armament:
- 2 127 mm/54 Mk 42 mod 10 guns
- 2 Rheinmetall Rh202 20 mm autocannons
- 1 Modified Mark 13 launcher
- 2 Mk 49 launcher, 21 RAM surface to air missiles each
- 6 324 mm torpedo tubes, DM4A1 and Mark 46 torpedoes.
- 1 ASROC launcher, 8 cells
- Complement: 337
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
- Zerstörer Mölders (in German)
- Zerstörer Rommel (in German)
- Zerstörer Teil II - private Homepage of Richard Stokowski (in German)
[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 |