Netherlands Provides Support to Damen Naval as German Frigates are Delayed
Reports in the Dutch media and by Bloomberg indicate that the Netherlands government has decided to provide support to help Damen Naval as it works to address challenges in its building program for a new generation of German frigates. The shipbuilder has reportedly told the German Defense Ministry that it expects delays as it works to resolve issues with the IT interfaces in the design and manufacturing system for the new F126 frigate.
In June 2020, Damen and the German government signed a contract for the design and construction of the new multi-role combat ships for the German Navy. Known as the Class 126 Frigate, the vessels will each be 10,000 tons displacement and 166 meters (545 feet) in length, making them the largest and most sophisticated vessels in the German Navy. Damen is responsible for the design of the vessels, which it says will be versatile multi-mission platforms that can operate all over the world and in all conditions, from the tropics to the polar regions. They will be capable of engaging surface, aerial, and underwater targets and are expected to play a key part in expanding NATO’s defense capabilities.
Damen is implementing the contract as general contractor together with its partners Blohm+Voss and Thales, and numerous German suppliers. While the ship design is being provided by Damen in the Netherlands, Thales is responsible for the command and weapon system, and the ships will be built by Blohm+Voss in Hamburg, Wolgast, and Kiel. The first ship is scheduled to be delivered to the German Navy in 2028, and the sixth in 2034. Steel cutting began in December 2023.
Damen Naval is general contractor and responsible for the design of Germany’s new frigates (Damen Naval)
According to the media reports, due to the delays in the project, which is valued at nearly €9 billion ($10.5 billion), Germany, while looking to support Damen Naval, is also planning to withhold payments until key milestones are met. As such, the Netherlands government, Dutch broadcaster NOS reports, is planning €270 million (approximately $315 million) in support for Damen Naval while the issues are resolved. NOS reports that the houses of Parliament are convening to discuss the package, but it has not been announced if it will be a loan or in the form of guarantees.
Damen Naval is seen as a critical element of the country’s defense, and NOS says the government is anxious to ensure the stability of the business. In addition to its contract with Germany, Damen Naval is building ships for the Netherlands and other NATO countries. Damen Naval is closely involved with the replacement of the current Dutch naval fleet, including orders for frigates for both the Netherlands and Belgium. In March 2025, Damen Naval handed over a new combat support ship to the Royal Netherlands Navy.
The shipyard traces its origins to 1875 and the establishment of Royal Schelde Shipyard (Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde) in Vlissingen. One of the leading shipbuilders in the Netherlands, the company was acquired in 2000, becoming part of the family-owned Damen Group. Damen has 35 shipyards in 20 countries and is a leading builder both for navies and commercial shipping.
