German Navy's fourth and final Type 125 frigate enters service

The German Navy's fourth and final Baden-Württemberg (Type 125) frigate, Rheinland-Pfalz (F 225), commissioned into service. (Bundeswehr/Kim Couling)

The German Navy has commissioned the fourth Baden-Württemberg (Type 125)-class frigate , Rheinland-Pfalz (F 225), into service.

A commissioning ceremony was held at the German naval base in Wilhelmshaven on 13 July.

Rheinland-Pfalz is the final Type 125 frigate to be built by the ARGE F125 consortium, comprising ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and NVL Group (formerly Lürssen Defence), under a contract signed in June 2007.

Laid down in January 2015 and launched in May 2017, Rheinland-Pfalz was delivered to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) in January this year.

It will be operated by the German Navy's 4th Frigate Squadron alongside sister ships Baden-Württemberg (F 222), Nordrhein-Westfalen (F 223), and Sachsen-Anhalt (F 224), which were commissioned between 2019 and 2021.

“The fourth and final commissioning of the F125 class represents another important milestone for our squadron and the navy,” Commander of the 4th Frigate Squadron, Captain Dirk Jacobus, said during the commissioning ceremony. “This is the first time all four ships are in the navy's area of responsibility. With the transfer of the last F125 to the navy, we gain an additional means for targeted training of all our crews.”