Various tidbits:
- The Saterland-Ramsloh VLF facility, used for communications with dived submarines (at 23.4 kHz), will be modernized for 56 million Euro between 2017 and 2020. The facility is used by the joint German-Polish submarine operating authority. The two antenna fields of the site will provide alternating continuous communications throughout the modification works.
- The closed tender for the five additional K130 has been announced; it is not up for bidding but will be a direct order of a second batch "with modifications where necessary".
- The three F124 will, for BMD purposes, be upgraded with new MOTS radar systems before ca 2025. One possible MOTS solution would be joint procurement of Smart-L ECF radars with the Netherlands, who have already ordered them for their frigates. The only real competitor would be Hensoldt (currently Airbus) with something TRS-4D derived. It is considered highly unlikely a contract for this would be signed before the federal elections next autumn though, so this is a bit up in the air.
- Along with the three new OPVs the Federal Police has also ordered three additional new Super Pumas; they're already operating a fleet of 19 of them. The three additional ones are procured for "SAR at sea and police duties", i.e. pretty much implicitly for the new OPVs.
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