List of German Navy ship classes

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This is a list of naval ship classes that were in service with the Bundesmarine (navy of West Germany) or are still in service with the Deutsche Marine (navy of reunited Germany). Some projects, that were not built or future designs are also present.

Contents

[edit] The type codes

The post-war navy of western Germany introduced a three digit code system to designate every class of vessel they ordered to design or acquired from foreign nations. Even some classes that were only built for export got such codes, most prominently the Type 209 submarine. After reunification the Deutsche Marine kept the system, codes for ships from the former forces of East Germany (NVA) were added. (See #Former NVA units).

The code is sometimes prefixed with a letter according to the category of the ships, e.g.:

  • U for submarines (U-Boot)
  • Z for destroyer (Zerstörer)
  • F for frigates (Fregatten)
  • S for fast attack craft (Schnellboote)

Upgrades to the design or major refits of already built ships are marked with a postfixed letter, beginning with A for the first modification. This letter is usually spoken and sometimes written according to the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, e.g. class 206 alpha for the upgraded Type 206 submarine.

The codes are grouped with a two-level categorization, the first digit defines the first category. Categories are usually further subdivided in blocks.

In each block of type codes the numbers were assigned chronologically for designed types. Classes acquired from foreign nation or from World War II were given numbers near the end of their block. Sometimes a block is further divided, e.g. Types 120—139 have apparently been split in frigates (120-129) and corvettes (130-139) with the upcoming Type 130 corvette.

The type codes starting with 0 are not used and also the digit 0 is skipped at the start of a category, i.e. codes 000-099, 100, 200… are not used.

Individual ships in a class are designated with two digit number following a slash, e.g. 123/02 for the frigate F216 Schleswig-Holstein, second ship of the Type 123 Brandenburg class.

[edit] List of classes

Entries of classes know to be in service are coloured light blue.

[edit] 100-199 surface combatants

101—119 Zerstörer (Destroyer)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/fate
101 Hamburg D181—184 4 1964—1994 upgraded to 101A, all scrapped
103 Lütjens D185—187 3 1969—2003 upgrades 103A and 103B, 1 museum ship, the others scrapped
119 Fletcher D170—180 6 1959—1981 1 used as target ship, 1 scrapped, 4 sold to Greece (later scrapped),
120—139 Fregatten und Korvetten (Frigates and Corvettes)
120 Köln F220—225 6 1961—1989 1 used as hulk, 1 scrapped, 4 sold to Turkey
121 Fregatte 70 cancelled project
122 Bremen F207—214 8 1982— multi-purpose frigate
123 Brandenburg F215—218 4 1994— ASW frigate
124 Sachsen F219—212 3 2003— AAW frigate, option for a 4th ship
125 F125 in design phase
130 Braunschweig F260—F264 5 currently building, maybe more than planned 5 will be build
138 Hunt/Black Swan F212—218 7 1958—1967 Former British frigates and sloops, used for training, all scrapped
139 Isle A50—51 2 1956—? Former British Trawlers, converted and redesignated Type 752
140—159 Schnellboote (Fast Attack Craft)
140 Jaguar / Typ 55 P6058—6067
P6082—6091
20 1957—1975 6 Eberhard-Arnis, 1 Hirdis-Kiel, 1 used as target ships France,
1 scrapped, 10 sold to Turkey scrapped,
1 museum ship (P6083 Kranich, scrapped 2007)
141 Seeadler P6068—6077 10 1958—1976 sold to Greece last scrapped 2005/2006
142 Zobel P6092—6101 10 1961—1984 6 sold to Turkey, 1 Lürssen Shipyard, 3 German Navy (1 for training Ship safety device)
143 Albatros P6111—6120 10 1976—2005 6 sold to Tunisia, 2 sold privately, 2 can be bought or will be scrapped (2007)
143A Gepard P6121—6130 10 1982—
144 0 cancelled project with CODAG propulsion
145 0 cancelled project of a missile boat
146 0 cancelled project of a torpedo boat
148 Tiger P6141—6160 20 1972—2002 French origin & powered by Lürssen-Bremen, 6 sold to Chile, 5 to Egypt, 6 to Greece and 3 scrapped
149 Silbermöve P6052—6057 10 1956—1967 No Former World War II of the German Kriegsmarine, new order from the German Bundesgrenzschutz/German Coastguard, unfortunately an offence against the Potsdamer agreement, seizure by the U.K., first in service of the Baltic Fishery Protection Service (Verband Klose), later in the 1. Schnellbootgeschwader of the German Navy
150 0 50t patrol boat (cancelled project)
151 0 50t patrol boat (cancelled project)
152 Nasty P6191—6192 2 1960—1973 From Norway, for trials
153 Vosper P6193—6194 2 1962—1967 British origin, for trials
157 ??? 21 1969—?? small patrol craft, given to Bundesgrenzschutz
160—169 Tragflügelboote (Hydrofoils)
160 0 cancelled project, Schlichting design
161 0 cancelled project, Lürssen design
162 0 NATO project, Bundesmarine withdrew 1977, resulted in the US Pegasus class hydrofoil, Type 143 built instead
170—179 U-Jagdboote (Submarine hunters)
179 La Fouguex(?) 1 1958 French design, Licence built for NATO (?)

[edit] 200—299 subsurface combatants

201—249 U-Boote (Submarines)
Type Class Pennant
Numbers
Number In service Notes
201 Type 201 S180—182 3 1962—1967 350 ton coastal submarines
202 Type 202 S172—173 2 1965—1966 100 ton mini submarines, a large fleet was initially planned, used for trials only
203 cancelled project
204 cancelled project
205 Type 205 S183—191 10 1962—2005 450 ton coastal submarines,

U11 was upgraded to 205A and U12 to 205B

206 Type 206 S192—199
S171—179
18 1973— 500 ton, 12 have been upgraded to 206A, 8(?) of them still in service
207 Kobben (Type 207) 16 Type 205 version for Norway and Denmark
208 Cancelled project or maybe used internally for TR-1700
209 Type 209 over 60 1200-1600 ton boats, for export only
210 Ula 6 1200 ton boats, Built for Norway
211 cancelled project or maybe used internally for Dolphin
212 Type 212 S181—184 4 2005— 1800 ton, design upgraded to 212A, also built in/for Italy
213 Type 213 planned enhanced 2nd batch of Type 212
214 Type 214 larger export sub, based on Type 209 with some enhancements from Type 212
240 Type 240 S170—S171 2 1957—1968 Upgraded former Kriegsmarine Type XXIII U-boats
241 Wilhelm Bauer Y880 1 1960—1968 Upgraded former Kriegsmarine Type XXI U-boat
250—299 not assigned

[edit] 300—399 mine warfare vessels

301—319 Hochseeminensuchboote (ocean-going minesweeper)
Type Class Pennant
number
Number In service Notes/Fate
319 M type F207—211
M187—192
11 1956—1963 former Kriegsmarine boats, 4 used as target ships (1 sunk), 6 redesignated as 730, others scrapped
320—329 Küstenminensuchboote (coastal minesweepers)
320 Lindau M1070—1087 18 1958—1980 12 upgraded to type Type 331, 6 to 351
321 Vegesack M1250—1255 6 1959—1969 French Origin, sold to Turkey
330—339 Minenjagdboote (minehunters)
331 Fulda M1071—1072
M1074—1075
M1077—1078
M1080
M1084—1087
12 1972—2000 1 museum ship, 2 scrapped, 2 each to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 1 to Georgia, 1 to Gibraltar
332 Frankenthal M1058—1069 12 1992—
333 Kulmbach M1091—1096 5 upgraded Type 343 boats
339 W44,45
W53—56
6 1956—1970 former French Navy vessels, Canadian origin, all scrapped
340—369 Schnelle Minensuch- und Minenkampfboote sowie Räumfahrzeuge
(fast minesweepers, mine warfare ships and clearing vessels)
340 Krebs M1050—1059 10 1959—1990 decommissioned
341 Schütze M1060—1069
M1090—1099
20 1959—1990 1 redesignated as Type 903, others decommissioned
342 cancelled project
343 Hameln M1090—1099 10 1989—2001 5 upgraded to Type 333, 5 to Type 352
350 project cancelled 1973
351 Ulm M1073,M1076
M1079
M1081—1083
6 1989—2000 former Type 320, to South Africa in 2001

M1081 Konstanz expended as target by two Exocet MM40 surface to surface missiles fired from SA Navy frigates SAS Amatola and SAS Isandlwana during Exercise Red Lion on November 1, 2007 about 90km west of Saldanha Bay, South Africa.

352 Ensdorf M1090
M1092—1094
M1098
5 former Type 343 boats
MCM drone controller
355 ERMISS cancelled project
359 M1051—1054
M1056—1064
M1067—1089
W46—48
52,61,62
24 1956—1968 15 used as Type 730, 1 Type 732, 1 Type 739
360 Hansa W22 1 1958—1968 redesignated as Type 392
361 Hansa W21 1 1958—1968 redesignated as Type 391
362 W23—40 18 1961—1968 8 redesignated as Type 393, 10 Type 394
368 W1—3
W13—19
10 1956—1974 4 to Tanzania, 2 to Greece, 1 Type 740
368 Nordwind Y834 1 1956— training boat
369 Y827,830
Y832,833
Y845,846
6 1956—1994 4 to Kazahstan
370—379 Minenleger (Minelayers)
370 A1403—1405 3 1961—1971 Former USN LSTs, 1 scrapped, 2 to Turkey
380-389 Netzleger und Netzleichter (net layers and net lighters)
cancelled projects
390-399 Binnenminensuchboot (inland waterway minesweepers)
390 M2651 1 1966— transformed to Type 740, two boats cancelled
391 Niobe M2661 1 transformed into Type 740
392 Hansa M2662 1 transformed into type 732
393 Ariadne M2650—2657 8 1961—1992 1 hulk, most scrapped
394 Frauenlob M2658—2667 10 1966—2001 4 to Estonia, 1 museum ship

[edit] 400—499 auxiliary ships

401—419 Tender
Type Class Pennant
number
Number In service Notes/Fate
401 Rhein A58—66 8 1961—1993 4 scrapped, 3 sold to Turkey, 1 to Greece
402 Mosel A67,54,65 3 1963—1991 2 scrapped, 1 sold to Turkey
403 Lahn A55—56 2 1964—1991 scrapped
404 Elbe A511—516 6 1993—
419 Oste A52,53 2 1956—? Former Kriegsmarine tender, redesignated and assigned to type 753 (A52) and 754 (A53)
420—429 Flottendienstboote und U-Jagdboote

(Fleet service ships and small submarine hunters)

420 Thetis P6052—6056 5 1961—1992 Sold to Greece
421 Hans Bürkner A1449 1 1963—1990 Fleet service ship, scrapped
422 A50,52,53 3 1957—1988 Former Type 753 ships, Fleet service ships, 1 scrapped, one sold to Turkey, other to Greece
423 Oste A50,52,53 3 1988— Confusingly share same Pennant number and name combinations as Type 422 class
430—439 Torpedofangboote (Torpedo retrieving boats)
430 Type 430 Y851—856
872—874
9 1966— 6 upgraded to 430A, most sold to Greece, 1 maybe still in service
438 Type 438 Y883—886
835
7 1959—1989 Former Kriegsmarine boats
439 Type 439 Y806—807
P6015—6020
P6043—6051
18 1956—1976 Some of them redesignated as type 740 or 945, used as patrol boats
401—419 Schulschiffe (School ships)
440 Deutschland A59 1 1963—1990 Upgraded to 440A, scrapped
441 Gorch Fock II A60 1 1958— Sailing ship
442 2 Sailing ship (planned)

[edit] 500—599 landing craft

501-539 Landungsboote (landing boats)
Type Class Pennant
number
Number In service Notes/Fate
502 LSM 1 1 decommissioned
520 Barbe L760—768
L788—791
L795—799
22 1965— Utility landing craft, 5 different upgrades/versions (A—D), 10 to Greece, L762 and L765 still in service
521 LCM-8 LCM1—20
A1423
A1430—1434
L786,787
28 1965— 11 to Greece, decommissioned(?)
540-499 not assigned
540 Task force support ship (cancelled project?)
550 LSM L750—753 4 1958—1973 Former USN LSMs
551 LSM L754,755 2 1958—1967 Former USN LSMs
552 LCA LCA30—33
LCA35—40
9 1958—1964 Formar RN LCAs
553 LCM LCM10
LCM602—606
LCM231,233
LCM235—237
11 1960—1973 Former USN LCMs
554 LCU LCU1 1 1959—1967 Former USN LCU, used as LCA leader
555 Citiy of Havanna WS1 1 1961—1965 Former USN LSD, used as ferry and swimming barrack, sold to Greek Shipping company

[edit] 600—699 small combatants

This category was formally not used. Small NVA combatants were assigned here.

[edit] 700—799 support vessels, docks, tugs, special vehicles

701—736 Transporter, Schlepper und Betriebsfahrzeuge
(transport ships, tugs and utility vessels)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
701 Lüneburg A1411—1418 8 1966—2005 Many upgrades, 701A through 701E
702 Berlin A1411—1412 2 2001— Third unit ordered
703 Walchensee A1424—1427 4 1966— small fuel tanker and transport ship, 2 still in service
704 Rhön A1442—1443 2 1977— Larger fuel tanker, originally built for Libya
705 A1403—1406
Y865—866
6 1963—2000 Fresh water tanker, most sold to Turkey and Greece
706 Schwarzwald A1400 1 1961—1974 Former French Navy ship Almathée, ammunition transport ship
708 2 —1970 Maintenance ships, swimming workshops. Built out of old landing ships
710 Förde A1641—1642 2 1967—1992 Oil tank cleaning ships, scrapped
711 Hiev 2 1962— 100t swimming cranes
712 2 1961— Lifting docks
713 4 1961– lifiting pontoons, 1 still in service?
714 Dock B 1 1963— 4500t self propelled swimming dock, built 1939
715 3 1960— 8000t swimming docks, built 1943
718 LP1—LP3 2 1964— submarine battery loading prams, 1 still in service?
719 Memmert Y875 1 1956—1980 former US Navy USN 106 crane ship
720 Helgoland A1457—1458 2 1966— Salvage tug, upgrades 720A, 720B. A1458 Fehmarn still in service
721 Eisvogel A1401—1402 2 1961— icebreaker, A1402 decommissioned
722 Wangerooge A1451—1456 6 1968— ocean tugs, three redesignated as Type 754, A1451 Wangerooge and A1452 Spiekeroog still in service, upgrades 722A,722B,722C
723 Lütje Hörn Y812—819 8 1958—1990 small harbour tugs, 5 sold to Greece, two scrapped, 1 museum ship
724 Sylt Y820—823
Y1680—1682
8 1962— larger harbour tugs, 2 sold to Greece, one to Latvia, three scrapped, 1 to Bundesgrenzschutz, Y1680 still in service(?)
725 Nordstrand Y812—819 6 1987— harbour tugs
726 Y847—848 2 1960—1991 former landing crafts used as workshop ships
727 Wieland Y804 1 1956—1971 swimming workshop
728 1 workshop pram, decommissioned
729 Passat Y800—Y803 4 1956—1978 former Kriegsmarine tugs, some used as target ship, others scrapped
730 Y809—811
WBM I—VI
WBR I—XVII
28 —1986 assorted old ships used as hulks, all scrapped
732 35 1956— mine- and torpedo diver rafts, most (all?) scrapped
734 1 firefighting boat, decommissioned
735 hospital ship, cancelled project
736 hospital ship, cancelled project
737 21 1961— assorted small lighters
738 Bottsand Y1634—1635 2 1985— oil recovery ships
739 3 1969—1981 electric power supply ships
740—759 Erprobungs-, Forschungs- und Spezialschiffe
(trials, research and special ships)
740 (many) 31 Assorted ships and boats used for trials
741 A1408,Y838 2 1967— naval mine trials ship
742 Walther von Ledebur
Mülhausen
A1410
M1052
1 1967—1994
1995—
mine trials ship, after upgrade to 742A renamed and now mine diver ship
743 AM Y1674,1675
Y1679
3 1971— work boats
744 Y1670,1683
Y1684,1686
4 1965— multipurpose utility boats
745 Stollergrund Y863—867 5 1989— small multipurpose utility boats
746 Torpedoscheibe 3 1959— 2 decommissioned
747 4 1959—1983 experimental remote controlled mine sweepers, trials of the TROIKA system
748 Schwedeneck Y860—862 3 1987— middle sized multipurpose utility boats
749 large multipurpose utility boats, project cancelled
750 Planet A1450 1 1967— defence trials ship
751 Trave A51 1 —1977 oceanographic research ship; another boat was planned, but sold to Turkey instead
752 A50,51 2 1956—? mine-throwing ship, one converted to Type 732, other to type 751
753 A50,52,53
A1456
4 1956— measurement boats, first three converted to 422, A1456 is now a NATO research ship
754 Y1662
A1439—1441
4 1 former Kriegsmarine vessel (decommissioned), 3 former Type 722 tugs; diver training boats
759 Seeschwalbe W63 1 —1966 Research vessel, redesignated type 740
760—790 Transporter (transport ships)
760 Westerwald A1435—1436 2 1967— A1435 still in service, A1436 decommissioned
761 torpedo transport ship, not built
762 Sachsenwald A1437—1438 2 1968—1993 Mine transport ships, scrapped
763 A1406—1407
Y824—Y825
4 1956—1995 Fuel tanker, 2 were former Kriegsmarine ships, 1 sold to Turkey, 3 scrapped
764 A1408—1409 2 1955—1992 Transport ships, French origin, both sold to Turkey
766 A1428—1429 2 1963—1977 Fuel tanker, both scrapped in Netherlands
780 A1438—1441 4 1959—1977 Fuel tanker, scrapped in Hamburg
785 Y830—832 3 1960—1969 Depot ships, scrapped
790 Ammunition transport ship, cancelled project

[edit] 800—899

This range of type numbers is not allocated

[edit] 900—999 Safeguard (?), rescue, liaison boats and boats for special purposes

901—909 Sicherheits- und Seenotrettungsfahrzeuge (safeguard and rescue vessels)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
903 Stier 1 Y849 1966— former M1061, type 341, redesignated type 732
905 Todendorf Y835—839 5 1993— security boats
906 Y861—863 3 1961—1975 former Royal Air Force air crew rescue boats, one used as Type 740 target ship from 1975 to 1977, others scrapped
907 W57—60 4 1956—1976 former Luftwaffe and USN boats, used for air crew rescue missions
908 VB1—2 2 1973—1992 fast messenger boats
909 Y857—860 4 1956—1993 air crew rescue boats, one gone to harbour police, Bremen
910—919 Dienstsegelboote (service sailing boats)
910 26 assorted small yachts, some sunk, most (all?) decommissioned
911 Star 8 At least 2 decommissioned, named after Gemstones
912 11 Pirate class dinghy leat 1 decommissioned, have female given names
913 12 ?
914 26 another class of Pirat dinghies, have male names, all decommissioned
915 17 another class of Pirat dinghies, have male names, in service?
920—929 Sportboote (yachts)
unassigned
930—959 Verkehrs- und Beiboote (liaison boats and dinghies)
930 32 old Kriegsmarine barges, 45—100PS motors, some with cabins, out of service
931 8 1958—1993 barges, 70/90PS motor
932 15 1958—1981 liaison boats, 70/120PS motor
933 23 pinnaces, with cabin, 70PS motor
934 20 barges , with cabin
935 24 pinnaces, wooden, without cabin, 70PS motor
936 15 pinnaces, wooden, cabin, 47—75PS motor
937 2 pinnaces, wooden, 70 or 54PS motor
938 6 motor dinghies
939 Lindau 1 motor dinghy, 5m, wooden/GRP hull, 75PS pump-jet
940 60 cutter, wooden, with 20PS motor
941 92 cutters, wooden, with sail, no motor
942 16 dinghies, wooden, with sail and sword
943 5 dinghies, GRP hull, with sail
944 75 dinghies, wooden, with sail
945 Y16xx 16 assorted harbour barges, diver service boats, motor barges, tug barges
946 Y16xx 5 1985— tug barges
947 65 motor cutters, 20PS motor, GRP hull
948 16 pinnaces with cabin, GRP hull, 70PS motor, GRP hull
949 48 cutters, without motor, GRP hull
950 2 dinghies, GRP hull
951 16 utility motorboats, GRP hull
952 12 two types of open lifeboats for tankers 6.5m (20 persons) or 6.0m (14 persons) long, steel hull
953 Emsland 1 prototype of closed lifeboat for tankers, GRP hull
954 28 pinnaces without cabin, 70PS motor, GRP hull
960—965 Motorrettungs- und Bereitschaftsboote (motor lifeboats and stand-by (?) boats
960 partly closed
961 partly closed, self erecting
962 fully closed
963 with air supply
964 fire protected
965 assorted stand-by boats
966—999 not allocated

[edit] Former NVA units

After the unification of the German Navies the Eastern German ship classes got type codes of the Western system. Especially for those that were soon sold afterwards to foreign navies, this process didn't strictly follow the previous rules. Sometimes already allocated codes were reused or the previously spared x00 codes were assigned. But the vast majority was categorized in the previously unused 600-699 range, but even here the same type code is often used more than once. And sometimes, ships of the same class are spread over different type codes.

Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/fate
140 Parchim I P6167—6170 4 1984—1991 sold to Indonesia
300 Projekt 89.2 M2670—2671 5 1973—1991 2 sold to Indonesia, 3 to Uruguay
391 Projekt 89.1 BG31—33 3 —1996 1 to each Tunisia, Malta, Cap Verde
420 Parchim 213—214
222—224
231—233
242—244
11 —1991 submarine hunters, sold to Indonesia, see also Type 140
600 K41—43 3 -1991 ELINT ships, 2 to Estonia, 1 to Spain
600 Wilhelm Pieck S41 1 —1996 scrapped in Spain
600 Project 600? C112,C661 2 —1991 Tanker, scrapped?
600 A441,A114 2 —1991 salvage vessels, 1 to Uruguayan Navy, 1 scrapped(?)
600 Koni I 142,F225 2 1986—1991 Kon I, scrapped?
610 Rostock F224 1 1978—1991 another Koni I, sold to United Kingdom
620 Balcom 10 P6165 1 1990—1991 to Bundesgrenzschutz
621 Tarantul I 571—575
P6166
6 1985—1991 2 to USN, 3 scrapped, 1 ??
630 Grevesmühlen P6164 1 1984—1991 Parchim I, sold to Indonesia
640 Tangerhütte M2669 1 1972—1991 Project 89.2 minesweeper, ??
650 Project 162 Y890—895 6 1984—2002 Swimming base, habitat
660 assorted tugboats Y1650—1651
Y1654—1656
...
? ??, two still in service
660 assorted salvage vessels ?  ??  ??
670 Gustav Königs Y1652,Y1657 2 —1994 Tankers, scrapped(?)
680 Y1653,D44 2 —1991 Sea mark boats(?), scrapped(?)
690 Project 602 A1430—1434
V816
6 1983—1991 Replenishment ships, Scrapped in Belgium(?)

[edit] References

  • Schiffsnummernverzeichnis für Schiffe, Boote und Betriebsfahrzeuge der Deutschen Marine und des Wehrtechnischen Bereichs (as of December 2002), Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung, Koblenz/Germany