German navy sabotaged: Russia suspected in shipyard attack
The inspector of the German navy, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, confirmed successful acts of sabotage on several German ships, including the newest corvette Emden, which has not yet been commissioned. "This is an attempt by Russia to test Germany's defense capabilities," he stated.
The sabotage act reported by "Süddeutsche Zeitung" is not an isolated incident. As confirmed by Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack during the "Navy Talks" conference, saboteurs managed to damage several German warships.
One of the affected ships is the new corvette Emden, which has not yet been handed over to the German navy. Many pounds of metal fragments were detected in its propulsion system. If the ship's propulsion had been activated, it would have caused very serious damage.
There have also been attempts to breach German naval base territories from both land and sea. Although the perpetrators have not been apprehended, the German vice admiral openly suggests that Russia is behind these hostile actions, as they test Germany's defense capabilities.
Sabotage at the shipyard
The corvette Emden, being built at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg, is the seventh of the planned ten (with an option for five additional) K130 Braunschweig-class corvettes. Israel is also building its own Sa’ar 6 corvettes based on the modified K130 design.
K130 Braunschweig-class corvettes are 292-foot-long vessels with a displacement exceeding 1,980 tons. Although they were designed for coastal operations, their size also makes them suitable for ocean missions.
German K130 corvette project
Their main armament consists of RBS15 Mk.3 anti-ship missiles housed in four launchers. This is supplemented by one OTO Melara 3-inch caliber gun and two Mauser BK-27 automatic cannons. The ship also has two 21-cell launchers for RIM-116 anti-aircraft missiles. Notably, the specification lacks anti-submarine warfare weapons.
Helicopters can partially fulfill this role, with a landing pad designated on the rear deck for their handling. The ship also features a hangar for two reconnaissance drones.
