Overview
- Rheinmetall’s naval arm, expanded by its March purchase of shipbuilder NVL, has offered after six months of talks to assume the stalled F126 frigate contract for about €12 billion.
- The proposal covers six ships and would push total program costs to roughly €14 billion because about €2 billion has already been paid and the offer includes an inflation-linked price tied to delivery dates.
- The company says the first frigate could be delivered in 2032, or in the second half of 2031 if procurement authorities ease certification and approval steps.
- To hedge delays, the Defence Ministry has signed a framework to buy four serial MEKO A-200 frigates from Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and asked the yard to price an option for up to eight.
- Talks remain contentious over who carries liability for Damen’s past work and how to handle intellectual property, as leaders frame the ships as vital for Europe’s Baltic and North Atlantic deterrence.