- Yes
- Maybe
- Unsure
- No
- Type 103 (As built)
- Type 103A Refit
- Type 103B Refit
- 1990’s Refit
- Unsure
- I said no to the first question
Background
The Lütjens class of destroyer were a class of 3 guided missile destroyers which were based on the American Charles F. Adams class, compared to the American destroyer the main difference was that the Germans added a second mast behind the funnel, the large radar was located more aft above the funnel, the sonar array was move to the front of the bow rather than under the bow, and finally they also made the crew accommodations better. These ships were built to replace the aging fletcher class destroyers during the 1960’s in which the Germans would order 3 Destroyers which were modified Charles F. Adams class Destroyers which would give genesis to the Lütjens class. The ships were armed with 2 127mm quick firing gun in 2 turrets with one at the bow and the other located at the aft section the ship, 1 Tartar SAM mount located near the stern which used the RIM 24 B Mk 13 missile, 1 ASROC MK16 Mod.4 ASWRL located amidship, and 2 triple UTR 324 mm torpedo launches which were capable of using normal torpedoes and anti submarine torpedos located on the sides of the ship near the bridge superstructure, later on they would receive Standard & Harpoon SSM to replace the RIM 24 B Mk 13, another refit would see them receive 2 20mm auto cannons as well as 2 Mk 49 launchers which used RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles with one place behind the 127mm turret at the bow while the other was placed at the stern in front of the Tartar SAM mount, additionally they would also receive chaff dispensers during their later refits. The ships would not take part in any major combat during their lives during their service, all of them however would be built in the United States and all of them would suffer different fates.
History
Lütjens
Lütjens was laid down on March 1st, 1966, she would then launch a little over year later on August 11th, 1967, she would then be commissioned on March 22nd, 1969. As Mentioned previously the class would not see any major action during their service lives. Like her sisters she was named after famous German officers from the Second World War, she was named after admiral Günther Lütjens who commanded Bismark along with the Prinz Eugen. The ship itself was christened by his daughter in law Gerda Lütjens, during her service she would first make the transatlantic crossing to Friedrichsort, Kiel however due to confusion with the US measurements the ship ended up destroying the sonar on the ship, as apart of NATO Lütjens had the designation D 185 and her proper radio call sign was DBYB until 1981 when it was changed to DRAE. She would undergo her first modernization in August of 1976 which would last for 1 year into 103A, the ship would undergo her second modernization into 103B in April of 1985 and would last until March the following year and in 1995 shew would receive the RAM launchers. In mid September, 2001, a few days after the 9/11 attacks she passed the Churchill bridge, paying homage to the Americans with a Stars and Stripes while running at half mast and ‘We stand by you’ banner was shown. During her 34 years of service she took part in NATO operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean as well as Operation Active Endeavor. In December, 2003 she was decommissioned and from 2006 to 2011 was used as target, following this and she was sold for scrap in late August, 2011.
Mölders
Mölders was laid down on April 12th, 1966, she would be launched a year and one day after being laid down on April 13th, 1967, and she would be commissioned on February 23rd, 1969. She like her sisters was named after a famous German officer from WW2, she was named after Werner Mölders, also like her sister ships she was christened by a relative of the ships namesake and was christened by his mother, Anne-Marie Mölders. She would take part in a number of NATO exercises like her sisters, she would see her first modernization into 103A from November 1977 to April 1978, the second modernization into 103B would take place from April, 1982 until January, 1983 and in 1995 she received the RAM launchers. During her service career she had a incident when a fire broke out onboard while traversing the English Channel on the 15th of December, 1987, the fire according to an enquiry stated that the fire started in the galley and spread through cable and Exhaust ducts, being so fast it was difficult to get under control, the ship was however able to get the flames under control with help of a accompanying support ship. In 1992 she would intercept an East German freighter loaded with Czechoslovak T-72 main battle tanks bound to the Mediterranean, she was also a part of Operation Sharp Guard, enforcing a weapons embargo against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. She would also finish her career with 34 year in total and she was decommissioned in late May, 2003, unlike her sisters she would end up being preserved as a museum ship in late June, 2005 in Wilhelmshaven making her the only ship of her class as well as the class she is based off as the Charles F Adams was destined to be preserved however as of 2020 she was set to be scrapped.
Rommel
Rommel was the third ship of the Lütjens class, being laid down on August 22nd, 1967, she was launched on February 1st, 1969, and as with her sisters of her class she was named after a famous German officer from WW2 being named after if not obvious already, Erwin Rommel, and in this case she was christened by his widow Lucie Maria Rommel, she would be commissioned into on May 2nd, 1970. She was given the identifier D 187, and the radio call sign of DBYD however in 1981 this changed to DRAG. Her first modernization into 103A took place from 1979 to 1980, her second modernization into 103B would then take place from 1985 to 1986 and in early 1996 received RAM launchers. Unlike her sisters her service lasted for 30 years instead of 34 years and as apart of NATO she would take part in a number of NATO exercises, notably in mid October in 1989 she became the was in the very first German fleet after 77 years entering a ex-Soviet, now Russian port of Leningrad (aka St Petersburg). Her fate was different from her sisters as she was then out of service by the end of November that year which was mainly due to the fact that the operating license for the boilers had expired and it was not considered efficient to refit her, even though she was the youngest ship of her class, as a result she was disarmed and demilitarized and she would only officially be decommissioned in at the end of June in 1999, she would then be cannibalized for parts for her 2 older sisters until October 8th, 2004 in which she was sold for scrapping.
Specifications
Displacement: 4,720 tons (full load)
Length: 133.2 m (437 ft)
Beam: 14.3 m (46.11 ft)
Draft: 6.1 m (20 ft
Propulsion: 2 × steam turbines providing 70,000 shp (52 MW); 2 shafts
4 x 1,275 psi (8,790 kPa) boilers
Speed: 33 knots (61 km/h)
Range: 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement: 337
Sensors and systems:
Type 103 (As built)
1 x AN/SPS-52 radar
1 x AN/SPS-40 radar
1 x AN/SPS-10 radar
2 x AN/SPG-51 radars
1 x AN/SPG-53 radar
1 x AN/SQS-23 sonar
Type 103B Refit
1 x AN/SPS-52 radar
1 x AN/SPS-40 radar
1 x AN/SPS-10 radar
2 x AN/SPG-51C radars
1 x AN/SPG-53 radar
1 x DSQS-21B sonar
1990’s Refit
1 x AN/SPS-52 radar
1 x AN/SPS-40 radar
1 x AN/SPS-10 radar
2 x AN/SPG-51C radars
1 x AN/SPG-60 radar
1 x AN/SPQ-9 radar
1 x DSQS-21B sonar
Electronic warfare and countermeasures:
Type 103 (As built)
WLR-6 ECM suite
SATIR I CCS
Type 103B Refit
FL-1800S ECM suite
SATIR I CCS
2 x SRBOC Mk36 6-cell chaff and flare launchers
1990’s Refit
FL-1800S ECM suite
SATIR I CCS
2 x SRBOC Mk36 6-cell chaff and flare launchers
SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy
Armament:
Type 103 (As built)
Primary Guns:
2 × 5 inch/54 (127mm) Mk 42 Mod 7 DP naval guns (2 x 1)
Surface to air missile launchers:
1 × Mark 13 Mod 1 Tartar SAM launcher
(40 missiles) (Uses only RIM-24)
ASW Rocket launchers:
1 × 8-cell ASROC MK16 Mod.4 ASWRL
Torpedos:
6 × 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
Type 103A Refit
Primary Guns:
2 × 5 inch/54 (127mm) Mk 42 Mod 7 DP naval guns (2 x 1)
Missile Launcher(s):
1 x Mk 13 Mod 1 missile launcher
(40 missiles) (Uses RIM-66A SM-1MR SAM)
ASW Rocket launchers:
1 × 8-cell ASROC MK16 Mod.4 ASWRL
Torpedos:
6 × 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
Type 103B Refit
Primary Guns:
2 × 5 inch/54 (127mm) Mk 42 Mod 7 DP naval guns (2 x 1)
Missile Launcher(s):
1 x Mk 13 Mod 1 missile launcher
(40 missiles) (Uses RIM-66A SM-1MR SAM as well as RGM-84A/C Harpoon SSM, normally 32 RIM-66 missiles and 8 harpoon missiles)
ASW Rocket launchers:
1 × 8-cell ASROC MK16 Mod.4 ASWRL
Torpedos:
6 × 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
1990’s Refit
Primary Guns:
2 × 5 inch/54 (127mm) Mk 42 Mod 7 DP naval guns (2 x 1)
Missile Launcher(s):
1x Mk 13 Mod 1 missile launcher
(40 missiles) (Uses RIM-66 SM-1MR SAM as well as RGM-84A/C Harpoon SSM, normally 32 RIM-66 missiles and 8 harpoon missiles)
2 × Mark 49 RAM launchers (2 x 21)
(42 RIM-116A missile total, 21 per launcher)
ASW Rocket launchers:
1 × 8-cell ASROC MK16 Mod.4 ASWRL
Small caliber AA Guns:
2 × 20mm Rh 202 autocannons (2 x 1)
Torpedos:
6 × 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
Sources
Spoiler
LÜTJENS missile destroyers (1969 - 1970)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lütjens-class_destroyer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_destroyer_Lütjens
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_destroyer_Mölders
German destroyer Rommel - Wikipedia
naval encyclopedia - warships and naval warfare from antiquity to this day
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Lütjens-class_destroyer
Lutjens Type 103 class Guided Missile Destroyer DDG German Navy
FGS Lütjens D-185 Type 103 Guided Missile Destroyer German Navy
FGS Mölders D-186 Type 103 Guided Missile Destroyer German Navy
FGS Rommel D-187 Type 103 Guided Missile Destroyer German Navy
Image Sources