List of German Navy ship classes

This is a list of naval ship classes that were in service with the Bundesmarine (navy of West Germany), or are still in service with the German Navy (navy of reunited Germany). Some projects, that were not built or future designs are also present.

The type codes

The post-war navy of western Germany introduced a three digit code system to designate every class of vessel they ordered to design or acquired from foreign nations. Even some classes that were only built for export got such codes, most prominently the Type 209 submarine. After reunification the German Navy kept the system, codes for ships from the former forces of East Germany (Volksmarine) were added. (See #Former NVA units).

The code is sometimes prefixed with a letter according to the category of the ships, e.g.:

  • U for submarines (U-Boot)
  • Z for destroyer (Zerstörer)
  • F for frigates (Fregatten)
  • S for fast attack craft (Schnellboote)

Upgrades to the design or major refits of already built ships are marked with a postfixed letter, beginning with A for the first modification. This letter is usually spoken and sometimes written according to the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, e.g. class 206 alpha for the upgraded Type 206 submarine.

The codes are grouped with a two-level categorization, the first digit defines the first category. Categories are usually further subdivided in blocks.

In each block of type codes, the numbers were assigned chronologically for designed types. Classes acquired from foreign nation or from World War II were given numbers near the end of their block. Sometimes a block is further divided, e.g. Types 120139 have apparently been split in frigates (120129) and corvettes (130139) with the upcoming Type 130 corvette.

The type codes starting with 0 are not used, and also the digit 0 is skipped at the start of a category, i.e. codes 000099, 100, 200… are not used.

Individual ships in a class are designated with two digit number following a slash, e.g. 123/02 for the frigate F216 Schleswig-Holstein, second ship of the Type 123 Brandenburg class.

List of classes

100-199 surface combatants

101119 Zerstörer (Destroyer)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
101 Hamburg D181184 4 19641994 upgraded to 101A, all scrapped
103 Lütjens D185187 3 19692003 upgrades 103A and 103B, 1 museum ship, the others scrapped
119 Fletcher D170180 6 19581982 1 used as target ship, 1 scrapped, 4 sold to Greece (later scrapped),
120139 Fregatten und Korvetten (frigates and corvettes)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
120 Köln F220225 6 1961~1989 1 used as hulk, 1 scrapped, 4 sold to Turkey
121 Fregatte 70 cancelled project
122 Bremen F207214 8 1982present multi-purpose frigate, 6 retired, 2 active
123 Brandenburg F215218 4 1994present Anti-submarine warfare frigate
124 Sachsen F219221 3 2003present Anti-aircraft warfare AEGIS frigate
125 Baden-Württemberg F222 4 2016present 1 in commission, 3 currently building
130 Braunschweig F260F264 5 Corvette, 5 ships active
138 Hunt/Black Swan F212218 7 1958~1967 Former British frigates and sloops, used for training, all scrapped
139 Isle A5051 2 1956~??? Former British naval trawlers, converted and redesignated Type 752
140159 Schnellboote (Fast Attack Craft)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
140 Jaguar / Typ 55
  • P60586067
  • P60826091
20 1957~1975 6 Eberhard-Arnis, 1 Hirdis-Kiel, 1 used as target ships France, 1 scrapped, 10 sold to Turkey scrapped, 1 museum ship (P6083 Kranich, scrapped 2007)
141 Seeadler P60686077 10 1958~1976 sold to Greece last scrapped 2005/2006
142 Zobel P60926101 10 1961~1984 6 sold to Turkey, 1 Lürssen Shipyard, 3 German Navy (1 for training Ship safety device)
143 Albatros P61116120 10 1976~2005 6 sold to Tunisia, 2 sold privately, 2 can be bought or will be scrapped (2007)
143A Gepard P61216130 10 1982~2016 10 retired
144 cancelled project with CODAG propulsion
145 cancelled project of a missile boat
146 cancelled project of a torpedo boat
148 Tiger P61416160 20 19722002 French origin & powered by Lürssen-Bremen, 6 sold to Chile, 5 to Egypt, 6 to Greece and 3 scrapped
149 Silbermöve P60526057 10 19561967 No former World War II of the German Kriegsmarine, new order from the German Bundesgrenzschutz/German Coastguard, unfortunately an offence against the Potsdam Agreement, seizure by the U.K., first in service of the Baltic Fishery Protection Service (Verband Klose), later in the 1. Schnellbootgeschwader of the German Navy
150 50t patrol boat (cancelled project)
151 50t patrol boat (cancelled project)
152 Nasty P61916192 2 19601973 From Norway, for trials
153 Vosper motor torpedo boat P61936194 2 19621967 British origin, for trials
157 ??? 21 1969??? small patrol craft, given to Bundesgrenzschutz
160169 Tragflügelboote (Hydrofoils)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
160 cancelled project, Schlichting design
161 cancelled project, Lürssen design
162 NATO project, Bundesmarine withdrew 1977, resulted in the US Pegasus class hydrofoil, Type 143 built instead
170179 U-Jagdboote (Submarine hunters)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
179 La Fouguex(?) 1 1958 French design, Licence built for NATO (?)

200299 subsurface combatants

201249 U-Boote (Submarines)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
201 Type 201 S180182 3 1962~1967 350 ton coastal submarines
202 Type 202 S172173 2 1965~1966 100 ton mini submarines, a large fleet was initially planned, used for trials only
203 cancelled project
204 cancelled project
205 Type 205 S183191 10 1962~2005 450 ton coastal submarines, U11 was upgraded to 205A and U12 to 205B
206 Type 206
  • S192199
  • S171179
18 1973~2011 500 ton, 12 have been upgraded to 206A, 7 of them still in service
207 Kobben (Type 207) 16 Type 205 version for Norway and Denmark(lately used only by Poland)]
208 Cancelled project or maybe used internally for TR-1700
209 Type 209 over 60 1200-1600 ton boats, for export only
210 Ula (Type 210) 6 1200 ton boats, Built for Norway
211 cancelled project or maybe used internally for Dolphin
212 Type 212 S181184 4 2005present 1800 ton, design upgraded to 212A, also built in/for Italy
213 Type 213 planned enhanced 2nd batch of Type 212
214 Type 214 larger export sub, based on Type 209 with some enhancements from Type 212
240 Type 240 S170S171 2 19571968 Upgraded former Kriegsmarine Type XXIII U-boats
241 Wilhelm Bauer Y880 1 19601968 Upgraded former Kriegsmarine Type XXI U-boat

Type numbers 250299 are not assigned.

300399 mine warfare vessels

301319 Hochseeminensuchboote (ocean-going minesweeper)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
319 M type
  • F207211
  • M187192
11 19561963 former Kriegsmarine boats, 4 used as target ships (1 sunk), 6 redesignated as 730, others scrapped
320329 Küstenminensuchboote (coastal minesweepers)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
320 Lindau M10701087 18 19581980 12 upgraded to type Type 331, 6 to 351
321 Vegesack M12501255 6 19591969 French Origin, sold to Turkey
330339 Minenjagdboote (minehunters)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
331 Fulda
  • M10711072
  • M10741075
  • M10771078
  • M1080
  • M10841087
12 19722000 1 museum ship, 2 scrapped, 2 each to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 1 to Georgia, 1 to Gibraltar
332 Frankenthal M10581069 12 1992present
333 Kulmbach M10911096 5 upgraded Type 343 boats
339
  • W44,45
  • W5356
6 19561970 former French Navy vessels, Canadian origin, all scrapped
340369 Schnelle Minensuch- und Minenkampfboote sowie Räumfahrzeuge (fast minesweepers, mine warfare ships and clearing vessels)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
340 Krebs M10501059 10 19591990 decommissioned
341 Scorpion
  • M10601069
  • M10901099
20 19591990 1 redesignated as Type 903, others decommissioned
342 cancelled project
343 Hameln M10901099 10 19892001 5 upgraded to Type 333, 5 to Type 352
350 project cancelled 1973
351 Ulm
  • M1073, M1076
  • M1079
  • M10811083
6 19892000
  • former Type 320, to South Africa in 2001.
  • M1081 Konstanz expended as target by two Exocet MM40 surface to surface missiles fired from SA Navy frigates SAS Amatola and SAS Isandlwana during Exercise Red Lion on November 1, 2007 about 90 km west of Saldanha Bay, South Africa.
352 Ensdorf
  • M1090
  • M10921094
  • M1098
5
  • former Type 343 boats
  • MCM drone controller
355 ERMISS cancelled project
359 Schütze[1]
  • M10511054
  • M10561064
  • M10671089
  • W4648
  • 52,61,62
24 19561968 15 used as Type 730, 1 Type 732, 1 Type 739
360 Hansa W22 1 19581968 redesignated as Type 392
361 Hansa W21 1 19581968 redesignated as Type 391
362 W2340 18 19611968 8 redesignated as Type 393, 10 Type 394
368
  • W13
  • W1319
10 19561974 4 to Tanzania, 2 to Greece, 1 Type 740
368 Nordwind Y834 1 1956present training boat
369
  • Y827,830
  • Y832,833
  • Y845,846
6 19561994 4 to Kazakhstan
370379 Minenleger (Minelayers)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
370 A14031405 3 19611971 Former USN LSTs, 1 scrapped, 2 to Turkey

Type numbers 380389 Netzleger und Netzleichter (net layers and net lighters) were cancelled projects.

390399 Binnenminensuchboot (inland waterway minesweepers)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
390 M2651 1 1966present transformed to Type 740, two boats cancelled
391 Niobe M2661 1 transformed into Type 740
392 Hansa M2662 1 transformed into Type 732
393 Ariadne M26502657 8 19611992 1 hulk, most scrapped
394 Frauenlob M26582667 10 19662001 4 to Estonia, 1 museum ship

400499 auxiliary ships

401419 Tender
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
401 Rhein A5866 8 19611993 4 scrapped, 3 sold to Turkey, 1 to Greece
402 Mosel A67,54,65 3 19631991 2 scrapped, 1 sold to Turkey
403 Lahn A5556 2 19641991 scrapped
404 Elbe A511516 6 1993present
4114 Gorch Fock Tallship 1 1958present
419 Oste A52,53 2 1956??? Former Kriegsmarine tender, redesignated and assigned to Type 753 (A52) and 754 (A53)
420429 Flottendienstboote und U-Jagdboote (Fleet service ships and small submarine hunters)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
420 Thetis P60526056 5 19611992 Sold to Greece
421 Hans Bürkner A1449 1 19631990 Fleet service ship, scrapped
422 A50,52,53 3 19571988 Former Type 753 ships, Fleet service ships, 1 scrapped, one sold to Turkey, other to Greece
423 Oste A50,52,53 3 1988present Confusingly share same Pennant number and name combinations as Type 422 class
430439 Torpedofangboote (Torpedo retrieving boats)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
430 Type 430
  • Y851856
  • 872874
9 1966present 6 upgraded to 430A, most sold to Greece, 1 maybe still in service
438 Type 438
  • Y883886
  • 835
7 19591989 Former Kriegsmarine boats
439 Type 439
  • Y806807
  • P60156020
  • P60436051
18 19561976 Some of them redesignated as Type 740 or 945, used as patrol boats
401419 Schulschiffe (School ships)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
440 Deutschland A59 1 19631990 Upgraded to 440A, scrapped
441 Gorch Fock II A60 1 1958present Sailing ship
442 2 Sailing ship (planned)

500599 landing craft

501539 Landungsboote (landing boats)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
502 LSM 1 1 decommissioned
520 Barbe
  • L760768
  • L788791
  • L795799
22 1965present Utility landing craft, 5 different upgrades/versions (AD), 10 to Greece, L762 still in service
521 LCM-8
  • LCM120
  • A1423
  • A14301434
  • L786,787
28 1965present 11 to Greece, decommissioned(?)
540599 not assigned
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
540 Task force support ship (cancelled project?)
550 LSM L750753 4 19581973 Former USN LSMs
551 LSM L754,755 2 19581967 Former USN LSMs
552 LCA
  • LCA3033
  • LCA3540
9 19581964 Formar RN LCAs
553 LCM
  • LCM10
  • LCM602606
  • LCM231,233
  • LCM235237
11 19601973 Former USN LCMs
554 LCU LCU1 1 19591967 Former USN LCU, used as LCA leader
555 City of Havanna WS1 1 19611965 Former USN LSD, used as ferry and swimming barrack, sold to Greek Shipping company

600699 small combatants

This category was formally not used. Small NVA combatants were assigned here.

700799 support vessels, docks, tugs, special vehicles

701736 Transporter, Schlepper und Betriebsfahrzeuge (transport ships, tugs and utility vessels)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
701 Lüneburg A14111418 8 19662005 Many upgrades, 701A through 701E
702 Berlin A14111412 3 2001present
703 Walchensee A14241427 4 1966present small fuel tanker and transport ship, 2 still in service
704 Rhön A14421443 2 1977present Larger fuel tanker, originally built for Libya
705
  • A14031406
  • Y865866
6 19632000 Fresh water tanker, most sold to Turkey and Greece
706 Schwarzwald A1400 1 19611974 Former French Navy ship Almathée, ammunition transport ship
708 2 1970 Maintenance ships, swimming workshops. Built out of old landing ships
710 Förde A16411642 2 19671992 Oil tank cleaning ships, scrapped
711 Hiev 2 1962present 100t swimming cranes
712 2 1961present Lifting docks
713 4 1961present lifiting pontoons, 1 still in service?
714 Dock B 1 1963present 4500t self-propelled swimming dock, built 1939
715 3 1960present 8000t swimming docks, built 1943
718 LP1LP3 2 1964present submarine battery loading prams, 1 still in service?
719 Memmert Y875 1 19561980 former US Navy USN 106 crane ship
720 Helgoland A14571458 2 1966present Salvage tug, upgrades 720A, 720B. A1458 Fehmarn still in service
721 Eisvogel A14011402 2 1961present icebreaker, A1402 decommissioned
722 Wangerooge A14511456 6 1968present ocean tugs, three redesignated as Type 754, A1451 Wangerooge and A1452 Spiekeroog still in service, upgrades 722A,722B,722C
723 Lütje Hörn Y812819 8 19581990 small harbour tugs, 5 sold to Greece, two scrapped, 1 museum ship
724 Sylt
  • Y820823
  • Y16801682
8 1962present larger harbour tugs, 2 sold to Greece, one to Latvia, three scrapped, 1 to Bundesgrenzschutz, Y1680 still in service(?)
725 Nordstrand Y812819 6 1987present harbour tugs
726 Y847848 2 19601991 former landing crafts used as workshop ships
727 Wieland Y804 1 19561971 swimming workshop
728 1 workshop pram, decommissioned
729 Passat Y800Y803 4 19561978 former Kriegsmarine tugs, some used as target ship, others scrapped
730
  • Y809811
  • WBM IVI
  • WBR IXVII
28 1986 assorted old ships used as hulks, all scrapped
732 35 1956present mine- and torpedo diver rafts, most (all?) scrapped
734 1 firefighting boat, decommissioned
735 hospital ship, cancelled project
736 hospital ship, cancelled project
737 21 1961present assorted small lighters
738 Bottsand Y16341635 2 1985present oil recovery ships
739 3 19691981 electric power supply ships
740759 Erprobungs-, Forschungs- und Spezialschiffe (trials, research and special ships)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
740 (many) 31 Assorted ships and boats used for trials
741 A1408, Y838 2 1967present naval mine trials ship
742 Walther von Ledebur
Mülhausen
  • A1410
  • M1052
1
  • 19671994
  • 1995present
mine trials ship, after upgrade to 742A renamed and now mine diver ship
743 AM
  • Y1674,1675
  • Y1679
3 1971present work boats
744
  • Y1670,1683
  • Y1684,1686
4 1965present multipurpose utility boats
745 Stollergrund Y863867 5 1989present small multipurpose utility boats; FGS Kalkgrund (Y865) and FGS Bant (Y867) sold to Israeli Navy
746 Torpedoscheibe 3 1959present 2 decommissioned
747 4 19591983 experimental remote controlled mine sweepers, trials of the TROIKA system
748 Schwedeneck Y860862 3 1987present middle sized multipurpose utility boats
749 large multipurpose utility boats, project cancelled
750 Planet A1450 1 1967present defence trials ship
751 Trave A51 1 ???1977 oceanographic research ship; another boat was planned, but sold to Turkey instead
752 A50,51 2 1956??? mine-throwing ship, one converted to Type 732, other to Type 751
753
  • A50,52,53
  • A1456
4 1956present measurement boats, first three converted to 422, A1456 is now a NATO research ship
754
  • Y1662
  • A14391441
4 1 former Kriegsmarine vessel (decommissioned), 3 former Type 722 tugs; diver training boats
759 Seeschwalbe W63 1 1966 Research vessel, redesignated Type 740
760790 Transporter (transport ships)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
760 Westerwald A14351436 2 1967present A1435 still in service, A1436 decommissioned
761 torpedo transport ship, not built
762 Sachsenwald A14371438 2 19681993 Mine transport ships, scrapped
763
  • A14061407
  • Y824Y825
4 19561995 Fuel tanker, 2 were former Kriegsmarine ships, 1 sold to Turkey, 3 scrapped
764 A14081409 2 19551992 Transport ships, French origin, both sold to Turkey
766 A14281429 2 19631977 Fuel tanker, both scrapped in Netherlands
780 A14381441 4 19591977 Fuel tanker, scrapped in Hamburg
785 Y830832 3 19601969 Depot ships, scrapped
790 Ammunition transport ship, cancelled project

800899

This range of Type numbers is not allocated.

900999 Safety, rescue, liaison & boats for special purposes

901909 Sicherheits- und Seenotrettungsfahrzeuge (safeguard and rescue vessels)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
903 Stier 1 Y849 1966present former M1061, Type 341, redesignated Type 732
905 Todendorf Y835839 5 1993present security boats
906 Y861863 3 19611975 former Royal Air Force aircrew rescue boats, one used as Type 740 target ship from 1975 to 1977, others scrapped
907 W5760 4 19561976 former Luftwaffe and USN boats, used for air crew rescue missions
908 VB12 2 19731992 fast messenger boats
909 Y857860 4 19561993 air crew rescue boats, one gone to harbour police, Bremen
910919 Dienstsegelboote (service sailing boats)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
910 26 assorted small yachts, some sunk, most (all?) decommissioned
911 Star 8 At least 2 decommissioned, named after Gemstones
912 11 Pirate class dinghy at least 1 decommissioned, have female given names
913 12
914 26 another class of Pirat dinghies, have male names, all decommissioned
915 17 another class of Pirat dinghies, have male names,

920929 Sportboote (yachts) are unassigned.

930959 Verkehrs- und Beiboote (liaison boats and dinghies)
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
930 32 old Kriegsmarine barges, 45100PS motors, some with cabins, out of service
931 8 19581993 barges, 70/90PS motor
932 15 19581981 liaison boats, 70/120PS motor
933 23 pinnaces, with cabin, 70PS motor
934 20 barges , with cabin
935 24 pinnaces, wooden, without cabin, 70PS motor
936 15 pinnaces, wooden, cabin, 4775PS motor
937 2 pinnaces, wooden, 70 or 54PS motor
938 6 motor dinghies
939 Lindau 1 motor dinghy, 5m, wooden/GRP hull, 75PS pump-jet
940 60 cutter, wooden, with 20PS motor
941 92 cutters, wooden, with sail, no motor
942 16 dinghies, wooden, with sail and sword
943 5 dinghies, GRP hull, with sail
944 75 dinghies, wooden, with sail
945 Y16xx 16 assorted harbour barges, diver service boats, motor barges, tug barges
946 Y16xx 5 1985present tug barges
947 65 motor cutters, 20PS motor, GRP hull
948 16 pinnaces with cabin, GRP hull, 70PS motor, GRP hull
949 48 cutters, without motor, GRP hull
950 2 dinghies, GRP hull
951 16 utility motorboats, GRP hull
952 12 two types of open lifeboats for tankers 6.5 m (20 persons) or 6.0 m (14 persons) long, steel hull
953 Emsland 1 prototype of closed lifeboat for tankers, GRP hull
954 28 pinnaces without cabin, 70PS motor, GRP hull
960965 Motorrettungs- und Bereitschaftsboote (motor lifeboats and stand-by boats
Type Class Pennant
numbers
Number In service Notes/Fate
960 partly closed
961 partly closed, self erecting
962 fully closed
963 with air supply
964 fire protected
965 assorted stand-by boats

Type numbers 966999 are not allocated.

Former NVA units

After the unification of the German Navies, the Eastern German ship classes got Type codes of the Western system. Especially for those that were soon sold afterwards to foreign navies, this process did not strictly follow the previous rules. Sometimes already allocated codes were reused or the previously spared x00 codes were assigned. But the vast majority was categorized in the previously unused 600-699 range, but even here the same Type code is often used more than once. And sometimes, ships of the same class are spread over different Type codes.

TypeClassPennant
numbers
NumberIn serviceNotes/fate
140Parchim IP6167—617041984—1991sold to Indonesia
300Projekt 89.2M2670—267151973—19912 sold to Indonesia, 3 to Uruguay
391Projekt 89.1BG31—333—19961 to each Tunisia, Malta, Cape Verde
420Parchim213—214
222—224
231—233
242—244
11—1991submarine hunters, sold to Indonesia, see also Type 140
600K41—433-1991ELINT ships, 2 to Estonia, 1 to Spain
600Wilhelm PieckS411—1996scrapped in Spain
600Project 600?C112, C6612—1991Tanker, scrapped?
600A441, A1142—1991salvage vessels, 1 to Uruguayan Navy, 1 scrapped(?)
600Koni I142, F22521986—1991Koni I, scrapped?
610RostockF22411978—1991another Koni I, sold to United Kingdom
620Balcom 10P616511990—1991to Bundesgrenzschutz
621Tarantul I571—575
P6166
61985—19912 to USN, 3 scrapped, 1 ??
630GrevesmühlenP616411984—1991Parchim I, sold to Indonesia
640TangerhütteM266911972—1991Project 89.2 minesweeper, ??
650Project 162Y890—89561984—2002Swimming base, habitat
660assorted tugboatsY1650—1651
Y1654—1656
...
???, two still in service
660assorted salvage vessels?????
670Gustav KönigsY1652, Y16572—1994Tankers, scrapped(?)
680Y1653, D442—1991Sea mark boats(?), scrapped(?)
690Project 602A1430—1434
V816
61983—1991Replenishment ships, Scrapped in Belgium(?)

References

  • Schiffsnummernverzeichnis für Schiffe, Boote und Betriebsfahrzeuge der Deutschen Marine und des Wehrtechnischen Bereichs (as of December 2002), Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung, Koblenz/Germany
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