Germany has announced plans to procure a fourth Type 424 signals intelligence and reconnaissance (SIGINT) vessel, while Rheinmetall has laid the keel for the program’s third ship ahead of schedule at its Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced the proposal for the additional intelligence vessel, which will now require parliamentary approval for funding. The move would expand the planned fleet intended to strengthen Germany’s maritime intelligence, surveillance, and data-collection capabilities.
The Type 424 vessels are being developed to replace the German Navy’s aging Type 423 Oste-class ships, which entered service during the 1980s. The first deliveries of the new vessels are scheduled between 2029 and 2031.
Rheinmetall is currently constructing the second and third Type 424 vessels simultaneously at its Wolgast facility. Once construction is completed, the ships will be transferred to the company’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg for final outfitting, integration, and testing.
Germany’s Type 424 SIGINT System
The Type 424 is designed to monitor the electromagnetic spectrum across land, maritime, and airborne environments. The vessel will employ advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, and automated control technologies to collect and process intelligence data.
In addition to naval personnel, specialists from Germany’s Cyber and Information Domain Service will operate aboard the vessels. Their responsibilities will include analyzing electronic signals and supporting cyber and digital defense missions.
The Type 424 will feature a 132-meter (433-foot) hull and have accommodation for up to 100 personnel. It is expected to deliver significantly greater capabilities than the Navy’s previous Type 423 vessels, which measured 84 meters (276 feet) and relied on Cold War-era SIGINT, early-warning, and communications technologies.
The new platform is intended to provide Germany with a more advanced maritime intelligence capability suited to modern electromagnetic and digital operating environments.
