Tiger class fast attack craft


Tiger class boat S54 Elster (P6154)
Class overview
Operators:  German Navy
 Hellenic Navy
 Chilean Navy
 Egyptian Navy
Preceded by: Jaguar class fast attack craft
Succeeded by: Albatros class fast attack craft
Built: 1971-1975
In commission: 1972-2003
Completed: 20
General characteristics
(After last refit)
Type: Fast Attack Craft
Displacement: 265 tonnes (261 long tons)
Length: 47 m (154 ft 2 in)
Beam: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Draft: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion: 4 MTU MD 16V 538 TB90 turbo diesel engines, 8,800 kW total
4 propeller shafts
Speed: 36 knots (67 km/h)
Range: 570 nmi (1,060 km) at 36 kn (67 km/h)
1,600 nmi (3,000 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h)
Complement: 30
Sensors and
processing systems:
• SMA 3RM 20 navigation radar
• Triton G surveillance radar
• CASTOR II fire-control radar
Link 11 communications
Electronic warfare
and decoys:
Decoy and flare launcher
Electronic countermeasures suite
Armament: • 1 × OTO Melara 76mm gun
• 1 × Bofors 40mm gun
• 4 × MM38 Exocet launchers
• 8 × naval mines
The Bofors gun can be replaced with mine laying rails
Notes: The ships have been updated twice (1982—84 and 1990—92), this represents the last update that was performed on all ships.

The Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft is a modification of the French La Combattante II design for the Bundesmarine (German Federal Navy). The La Combattante had been designed by Lürssen of Germany for Israel, but were built in France by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie in Cherbourg (CMN) for political reasons. Eight of the boats were laid down by CMH, but completed by Lürssen.

The boats were commissioned into the Bundesmarine in the mid-1970s, replacing the Jaguar-class boats of the 3rd and 5th Squadrons. At first the boats did not receive names, only numbers, but these were introduced later at the insistence of the crews.

The ships served for 30 years, and received major updates in 1982—84 and 1990—92. After decommissioning they were scrapped or sold to different countries. No direct replacements were procured as due to the changed operating conditions the Deutsche Marine has reduced the number of these fast attack boats drastically and procured instead a smaller number of corvettes.

Ship list

Pennant
number
Name Call
sign
Shipyard Laid down Launched Com-
missioned
Decom-
missioned
Status
P6141 S41 Tiger DRBA CMN October 11, 1971 September 27, 1972 October 30, 1972 September 24, 1998 to Chilean Navy
P6142 S42 Iltis DRBB CMN February 2, 1972 December 12, 1972 January 8, 1973 October 15, 1992 to Hellenic Navy
P6143 S43 Luchs DRBC CMN March 23, 1972 March 7, 1973 April 9, 1973 August 27, 1998 to Chilean Navy
P6144 S44 Marder DRBD CMN April 15, 1972 May 5, 1973 July 14, 1973 May 25, 1994 to Hellenic Navy
P6145 S45 Leopard DRBE CMN September 12, 1972 July 3, 1973 August 21, 1973 September 28, 2000 to Hellenic Navy
P6146 S46 Fuchs DRBF Lürssen March 10, 1972 May 21, 1973 October 17, 1973 December 19, 2002 to Egyptian Navy
P6147 S47 Jaguar DRBG CMN November 29, 1972 September 20, 1973 November 13, 1973 September 28, 2000 to Hellenic Navy
P6148 S48 Löwe DRBH Lürssen July 10, 1972 September 10, 1973 January 9, 1974 December 19, 2002 to Egyptian Navy
P6149 S49 Wolf DRBI CMN March 4, 1975 August 27, 1997 to Chilean Navy
P6150 S50 Panther DRBJ Lürssen September 30, 1972 December 10, 1973 March 27, 1974 September 29, 2002 scrapped 2003
P6151 S51 Häher DRBK CMN June 12, 1974 June 23, 1994 to Hellenic Navy
P6152 S52 Storch DRBL Lürssen March 12, 1973 March 25, 1974 July 17, 1974 November 12, 1992 to Hellenic Navy
P6153 S53 Pelikan DRBM CMN September 11, 1973 July 4, 1974 September 24, 1974 June 25, 1998 to Chilean Navy
P6154 S54 Elster DRBN Lürssen November 27, 1974 August 27, 1997 to Chilean Navy
P6155 S55 Alk DRBO CMN April 9, 1974 November 15, 1974 January 7, 1975 May 13, 2002 to Egyptian Navy
P6156 S56 Dommel DRBP Lürssen December 13, 1973 October 30, 1974 February 12, 1975 December 19, 2002 to Egyptian Navy
P6157 S57 Weihe DRBQ CMN July 2, 1974 February 13, 1975 April 3, 1975 December 19, 2002 to Egyptian Navy
P6158 S58 Pinguin DRBR Lürssen March 11, 1974 February 26, 1975 May 22, 1975 June 28, 2002 scrapped 2003
P6159 S59 Reiher DRBS CMN November 8, 1974 May 15, 1975 June 24, 1975 September 27, 2002 scrapped 2003
P6160 S60 Kranich DRBT Lürssen May 9, 1974 May 26, 1975 August 6, 1975 September 24, 1998 Chilean Navy

References

See also