08:27 GMT, May 28, 2009 defpro.com | As different German sources report, the German Navy’s newest warship class, the Braunschweig class corvettes designated K 130, has experienced serious defects on the diesel gearboxes as has now been temporarily decommissioned. So far only three of the five ordered ships had been commissioned. The German Navy has not yet released any information on when the corvettes are to be recomissioned. According to the German newspaper “Kieler Nachrichten”, a spokesman of the K 130 consortium (a joint venture of the shipyards ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Lürssen-Gruppe and Nordseewerke) said that the gearboxes of all ships will have to be removed. Problems with the corvettes’ gearbox had been experienced during a trial run with the “Oldenburg”. During the trial some of the gearbox’s screws loosened and fell into the gears causing significant damage. The costs resulting from the damage have not been specified yet; however they are expected to amount to several million Euros.

The gearboxes were produced by MAAG in Switzerland, but apparently weren’t of the well-known Swiss precision work. The production had rather been outsourced to a polish company which is now bankrupt. The German Navy and the shipyards have asked the Swiss producer to present a concept for the repair of the deficiencies by June 12.

The ships were scheduled to enter service in early 2010. According to the Navy, this will be delayed by several months. However, according to the spokesman at least one corvette will be ready for service in the course of 2010. The new vessels are urgently required for the support of the German Armed Forces’ (Bundeswehr) operations off the coasts of Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Somalia (EU mission “Atalanta”).

It is not the first time that the schedule had to be adjusted. Originally the “Braunschweig” and its sister ships were to be commissioned between May 2007 and February 2009. Due to technical problems and defects this timeframe could not be met. The “Braunschweig” and the “Magdegurg” had been commissioned last year. The corvettes "Erfurt", "Oldenburg", and "Ludwigshafen am Rhein", produced in the course of 2007 have now been decommissioned before even entering service with the German Navy. Each ship costs approximately €240 million.