Germany aborts its flagship postwar frigate program

Berlin has scrapped the €12.8bn F126 frigate program—the German navy’s largest postwar warship project—after delays and cost overruns, opting to buy eight Meko frigates instead; the change shifts lead contractor duties away from Damen Naval to Rheinmetall, prompting a roughly €2bn write-off and a dent to defence industry expectations amid NATO priority on sea-based anti-submarine warfare.