德国武装部队代表在沃尔加斯特的皮内造船厂见证了第三艘也是最后一艘424型信号情报（SIGINT）侦察船的首块钢板切割仪式。此次开工时间远早于计划进度。一旦投入使用，该情报船将由德国海军与网络及信息空间司令部（CIR）共同运营。
莱茵金属海军系统业务部首席执行官蒂姆·瓦格纳表示：“提前开工意味着该级别所有的舰船目前都在建造中。这不仅是一个技术里程碑，更是一个战略信号。在当前快速变化的地缘安全环境中，我们作为工业合作伙伴，正致力于加速加强国防能力。速度现已成为一个关键的安全因素。”
424型侦察船长约130米，将作为德国武装部队的海上情报搜集平台，配备最先进的传感器技术。其设计符合未来海军舰艇的最新军事要求。这三艘新船最终将取代现有的老旧单位。
背景信息显示，三艘新信号情报船的设计和建造合同最初于2021年与吕森造船厂签署，还包括预计于2027年交付的培训设施。两年后，建造许可授予了吕森集团的军事分支NVL。目前关于系统配置的细节尚未公开，但需求重点包括自卫能力、指挥与控制能力。
Today, at the Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, the first steel cutting for the third and final Type 424 SIGINT (signals intelligence) vessel in the series officially took place in the presence of representatives from the Bundeswehr (the German Armed Forces).
Rheinmetall press release
The steel cutting took place much earlier than planned. Once commissioned, the intelligence vessel will be used jointly by the German Navy and the Cyber and Information Domain Service (CIR).
“Beginning the steel cutting early means that all ships of this class are now under construction. This is far more than just a technical milestone—it is a strategic signal. In the current geopolitical security environment, which is changing faster than ever before, we, as an industrial partner, are doing our part to accelerate strengthening defence capabilities. Speed is now a security-relevant factor—and this is exactly what we are focussing on,” said Tim Wagner, CEO of Rheinmetall’s Naval Systems division.
The approximately 130-metre-long Class 424 intelligence vessels will serve the German Armed Forces as reconnaissance platforms for maritime-based intelligence gathering and are equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology. Their design meets the latest military requirements for future-proof naval ships.
The total of three new vessels will eventually replace the units of the OSTE class.
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Artist impression of the future Type 424 SIGINT ship of the German Navy. NVL Group image.
Naval News comments:
Contract for the design and construction of three new SIGINT (signal intelligence) ships was first signed in 2021 with Lürssen Werft GmbH and also covers training facilities which are expected to be delivered by 2027. Two years later, the green light for the construction is given to NVL (military branch of the Lürssen group). As expected, details regarding systems that will be fitted are not known at this stage but requirements highlighted the need for “self-protection, command and control capabilities and the need for extremely low-noise propulsion systems”.