- Source: German frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen
Nordrhein-Westfalen (F223) is the second ship of the Baden-Württemberg-class frigates of the German Navy.
Background
Nordrhein-Westfalen was designed and constructed by ARGE F125, a joint-venture of Thyssen-Krupp and Lürssen. She is part of the Baden-Württemberg class has the highest displacement of any class of frigate worldwide, and are used to replace the Bremen class.
Construction and career
Nordrhein-Westfalen was laid down on 24 October 2012 and launched on 16 April 2015 in Hamburg. She was commissioned on 10 June 2020.
In late 2024 Nordrhein-Westfalen was patrolling in the Baltic Sea, coming from the port of Gdańsk, Poland. In late November the frigate was encountered a Russian convoy consisting of a not named tanker and a corvette in the Baltic Sea, potentially breaking the international sanctions imposed on Russian oil. When one of the NH90 helicopters from Nordrhein-Westfalen was sent to inspect the Russian vessels more closely, the corvette responded with five red flares instead of routine radio communication. The incident became public when German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned the act of aggression at a NATO meeting a week later.
Gallery
Nordrhein-Westfalen gallery
References
External links
Seaforces.org