Köln-class frigate

{{Short description|German frigate class}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2009}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=F221 fregatte emden IV 1983.jpg |image_caption=''Emden'' in 1983 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview |name= ''Köln'' |builders=H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg |operators=*{{Navy|Germany}} *{{Navy|Turkey}} |class_before= |class_after={{sclass|Bremen|frigate|4}} |subclasses= |cost= |built_range=1957–1964 |in_service_range= |in_commission_range=1961–1989 |total_ships_building= |total_ships_planned= |total_ships_completed=6 |total_ships_canceled= |total_ships_active= |total_ships_laid_up=1 |total_ships_lost= |total_ships_retired=6 |total_ships_preserved= }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= <ref name="Conways p144">Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 144.</ref> |class= |type=Frigate |tonnage= |displacement= 2090 tons standard, 2750 tons full load |length= *{{convert|105|m|ftin|abbr=on}} waterline *{{convert|109.80|m|ftin|abbr=on}} overall |beam={{convert|11|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |height= |draught={{convert|4.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |power= |propulsion= *2 shaft CODAG *2 Brown Boveri & Cie gas turbines, 8832 kilowatts each (24,000 hp total) *4 MAN 16-cylinder diesel engines, 2208 kilowatts each (12,000hp total) |speed={{convert|32|kn}} |range= *{{Convert|3450|nmi|-1}} at {{Convert|12|kn}}, *{{Convert|900|nmi|-1}} at {{Convert|30|kn}}<ref name="combat90 p538">Prézelin and Baker 1990, p. 538.</ref> |endurance=Bunker: 360 t |test_depth= |boats= |complement=238 |time_to_activate= |sensors= *Navigation radar KH14/9 *Target designation radar DA-02 *Surface search radar SGR103 *Fire control radar M44, M45 *Sonar PAE/CWE hull mounted medium frequency sonar |EW= |armament= *2 × 100 mm METL 53 guns *2 twin barreled 40 mm/L70 Breda Mod 58 II MDL anti-aircraft guns *2 single barreled 40 mm/L70 Bofors Mod 58 anti-aircraft guns *4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes, *2 quadruple 375 mm anti-submarine mortar *depth charges, mine-laying capacity |notes= }} }}

The '''F120 or ''Köln'' class''' was a six-ship class of frigates operated by the Bundesmarine. The ships of this class were the first major warships built in Germany after World War II.

They were the world's first ships to feature a combined diesel and gas propulsion system. The ships were mainly constructed for anti-submarine warfare. All of the class' ships received numerous refits during their long careers with new electronics and torpedo tubes being fitted. They were eventually replaced by Type 122 frigates in the 1980s with Braunschweig being the last to be decommissioned in 1989. Four ships of the class were sold to the Turkish Navy.

== Design == The F120 class frigates were constructed as flush deckers. Overall the hull was made of shipbuilding steel, with many other materials also used in different parts of the ship. The steeply angled bow and the overall streamlined hull design ensured good handling characteristics. Combined with a wide use of aluminium, which provided an adequate weight distribution, preventing the ship from being top-heavy despite the fairly large superstructure, this ensured decent seaworthiness, enabling the class to operate safely in rough north Atlantic waters. Notably the overall design of the superstructure was heavily influenced by the propulsion system used, with gas turbines requiring large air intakes, covered by louvres on the ship's sides. The funnel was located behind these intakes and the main mast directly above them.

== Propulsion == The class was the first in the world to use the CODAG (COmbined Diesel And Gas) propulsion system, with it consisting of four 16-cylinder diesel engines produced my MAN and two gas turbines produced by BBC.

The electricity aboard was provided by six generators, about half of which were normally turned off during regular service.

== Armament == The main artillery armament of the ship consisted of two 100 mm model 53 single gun turrets, which were capable of both anti-ship and anti-aircraft combat due to high vertical guidance angles and fast turret rotation speed. Additionally the frigates were equipped with 40 mm Bofors guns for anti-air defence.

For anti-submarine warfare, the class came fitted with two quadruple 375 mm Bofors rocket launchers located on the foredeck behind the 100 mm turret, and depth charges located on the stern.

Additionally the ships had four 533 mm torpedo tubes.

== Operational history == The six ships of the Köln-class comprised the 2. Geleitgeschwader (Second frigate squadron), stationed first in Cuxhaven, and then in Wilhelmshaven. Being commissioned between 1961 and 1964, they together with the newly built Hamburg-class destroyers quickly became the backbone of the Bundesmarine's surface fleet, also being the first major warships constructed in Germany after the Second World War. In 1968 two of the ships, ''Emden (F221)'' and ''Karlsruhe (F223)'' were separated from the second frigate squadron and stationed in Flensburg for the next 6 years, rejoining the squadron in 1974. After several decades of service the ships were eventually retired with four of them (''Emden, Karlsruhe, Lübeck and Braunschweig'') sold to Turkey, one (''Augsburg'') scrapped and one (''Köln'') being transferred to Einsatsausbildungszentrum Schadenabwehr Marine (Naval damage control training centre) in Neustadt, where it serves as a training hulk to this day.

==List of ships== {|class="wikitable" !Pen- nant !Name !Shipyard !Laid down<ref name="Conways p144"/> !Launched<ref name="Conways p144"/> !Com- missioned<ref name="Conways p144"/> !Decom- missioned !Fate |- |F220||''Köln''||Stülcken & Sohn |21 December 1957 |6 December 1958 |15 April 1961 |17 December 1982 |Used as training hulk in Neustadt |- |F221||''Emden''||Stülcken & Sohn |15 April 1958 |21 March 1959 |24 October 1961 |23 September 1983 |Sold to the Turkish Navy as TCG ''Gemlik'' (D-361); destroyed in a fire |- |F222||''Augsburg''||Stülcken & Sohn |29 October 1958 |15 August 1959 |7 April 1962 |30 March 1988 |Broken up in Hamburg |- |F223||''Karlsruhe''||Stülcken & Sohn |15 December 1958 |15 August 1959 |15 December 1962 |28 March 1983 |sold to the Turkish Navy as TCG ''Gazi Osman Pasa'' (D-360); renamed ''Gelibolu'' 1984 |- |F224||''Lübeck''||Stülcken & Sohn |28 October 1959 |23 July 1960 |6 June 1963 |1 December 1988 |sold to the Turkish Navy for cannibalization |- |F225||''Braunschweig''||Stülcken & Sohn |28 July 1960 |3 February 1962 |16 June 1964 |4 July 1989 |sold for spare parts to the Turkish Navy, 1989, replaced TCG ''Gemlik'' (D-361) after fire on originally-named ship, 1992 |}

'''Equivalent frigates of the same era''' * {{sclass|Garcia|frigate|4}} * {{sclass|Oslo|frigate|4}} * {{sclass|Leander|frigate|4}} * {{sclass|Bronstein|frigate|4}} * {{sclass|João Belo|frigate|4}} * {{sclass|Commandant Rivière|frigate|4}} * {{sclass|Tribal|frigate|4}}

==Citations== {{reflist}}

==References== *Gardiner, Robert and Stephen Chumbley. ''Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995''. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1995. {{ISBN|1-55750-132-7}}. *Prézelin, Bernard and A.D. Baker III. ''The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991''. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1990. {{ISBN|0-87021-250-8}}.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koln Class Frigate}} Category:Köln-class frigates Category:Frigate classes Category:CODAG ships