FGS Ludwigshafen am Rhein (F264)

The German Navy K130 class corvette Ludwigshafen am Rhein (F264), commissioned on 21 March 2013.  This ocean-going corvette is equipped with four 88mm guns in twin mounts, MLG 38mm autocannons, medium machine guns, RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, a close-in weapon system, depth charges, and two racks for 34 sea mines.  The ship's hangar and flight deck can support two Camcopter S-100 small unmanned aerial vehicles.

Ludwigshafen am Rhein is the fifth of five Batch 1 K130 corvettes built for the Deutsche Marine, with additional Batch 2 vessels planned for construction between 2022 and 2025.

Specifications: Ludwigshafen am Rhein (F264)
Displacement: 1,840 tonnes
Length: 89.12 metres (292 feet 5 inches)
Beam: 13.28 metres (43 feet 7 inches)
Draught: 3.4 metres (11 feet 2 inches)
Propulsion: 2 x MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 diesels, 14.8 MW
Speed: 26 knots (48 km/h, 30 mph)
Range: 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) at 15 knots
Armament: 1 x OTO Melara 76 mm gun; 2 x Mauser BK-27 autocannons; 4 x RBS-15 Mk 3 anti-ship missiles; 2 x 21-cell RAM close-in weapons system missile launchers; 34 Mk 12 n naval mines
Complement: 65 (11 officers, 16 chief petty officers, 38 ratings)

Photo taken 18 September 2015

The German Navy K130 class corvette Ludwigshafen am Rhein, tied up alongside the ExCeL London convention centre, London, UK during the DSEI 2015 defence and security exhibition.