The F123 Brandenburg class is a class of German frigates. They were ordered by the German Navy in June 1989 and commissioned between 1994 and 1996 to replace Hamburg class destroyers.

Drawing on the experience of the aborted 'Nato frigate for the nineties' project and the construction of the German Type 122 multi-mission frigate, as well as German modularisation techniques, Hamburg shipbuilders Blohm + Voss developed a combined Meko and improved serviceability Type 122 design.

These frigates are primarily tasked with anti-submarine warfare, but they also contribute to anti-air defence, the tactical command of group forces and surface operations.

The all-steel ship has stealth features, extra space for Task Group personnel, and fin stabilisers. It is designed to carry two AgustaWestland Sea Lynx mk88 helicopters and a rigid inflatable boat for boarding operations.

The first ship, Brandenburg (F215), was built by Blohm + Voss and commissioned in Oct 1994; the second, Schleswig-Holstein (F216), was built by Kiel-based shipbuilder Howaldtswerke and commissioned in Nov 1995; the third, Bayern (F217), was built by Emden-based Thyssen Nordseewerke and commissioned in May 1996; and the fourth, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (F218), by the Bremen-based builder, Bremer Vulkan, commissioned in Nov 1996.

The Brandenburg has a displacement of 4,900t fully loaded and an overall length of 138m. The ship has a maximum speed of 29kt using the gas turbines and 18kt using the diesel engines, with a range of 4,000nm at 18kt. The ship can accommodate 199 crew (plus 19 air crew).

The combat data system is built around the Atlas Elektronik / Paramax SATIR action data automation with Unysis UYK 43 computer, Link 11, and Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi) SCOT 1A satellite communications. Weapons are controlled by a Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) MWCS system with two optical sights.

The ship is armed with two twin launchers for MM38 Exocet surface-to-surface missiles, from MBDA (formerly EADS Aerospatiale). Exocet has inertial guidance with active radar homing and a range of 42km. A Lockheed Martin mk41 mod 3 vertical launch system for 16 Nato Sea Sparrow medium-range surface-to-air missiles is fitted.

The ship is powered by a CODOG (combined diesel or gas) plant of two GE 2500 gas turbines, each rated at 33,600hp with a power turbine speed of 3,600rpm, and two MTU ZOV956 TB92 diesel engines, each developing 6,568shp at 1,500rpm, driving two shafts with controllable-pitch propellers.