Hessen in 2013
History
Germany
Name	Hessen
Builder	Nordseewerke, Emden
Laid down	14 September 2001
Launched	26 July 2003
Commissioned	21 April 2006
Identification	Pennant number: F221 MMSI number: 211906000 Call sign: DRAC
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Sachsen-class frigate
Displacement	5,800 tonnes
Length	143 m (469 ft)
Beam	17.44 m (57.2 ft)
Draught	6 m (20 ft)
Propulsion	CODAG (combined diesel and gas) 2 propeller shafts, controllable-pitch propellers 2 MTU V20 diesel engines, 7.4 MW each 1 General Electric LM2500 gas turbine
Speed	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Range	4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi)+ at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	230 crew + 13 aircrew
Sensors and processing systems	1 Thales Nederland SMART-L long-range air and surface surveillance radar (D band) 1 Thales Nederland APAR air and surface search, tracking and guidance radar (I band) 1 Thales Nederland Sirius IRST long-range infrared surveillance and tracking system (fitted for but not with) 2 STN Atlas 9600-M multi-function I/J band ARPA radars 1 STN Atlas MSP 500 electro-optical fire control system 1 STN Atlas DSQS-24B bow sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys	1 FL 1800 S II ECM suite 6 Sippican Hycor SRBOC launcher
Armament	1 OTO-Melara 76 mm dual-purpose gun 2 Mauser MLG 27 27 mm autocannons 1 MK. 41 VLS Tactical with 32 cells for 24 SM-2 Block IIIA and 32 RIM-162 ESSM (quad-packs per cell) surface-to-air missiles 2 RAM launchers with 21 surface-to-air/CIWS-missiles each 2 quadruple Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers 2 triple torpedo launchers with EuroTorp MU90 Impact torpedoes
Aircraft carried	2 Sea Lynx Mk.88A or 2 NH90 helicopters equipped with torpedoes, air-to-surface missiles Sea Skua, and/or heavy machine gun.

Hessen is a Sachsen-class frigate of the German Navy.

Construction and commissioning[edit]

Built by Nordseewerke, Emden, Hessen was the third and final ship of the Sachsen class to be launched and then commissioned into the German Navy. She is based at Wilhelmshaven with the other ships of the Sachsen class as part of 2. Fregattengeschwader, which itself forms part of the Einsatzflottille 2.^[1]

Service[edit]

Shortly after her commissioning in 2006, Hessen was deployed with other ships of the German Navy to guard the Mecklenburg coastline during the 33rd G8 summit in 2007, which was being held in the region. In 2008 she was part of the Maritime Task Force deployed in support of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.^[2] In late 2009 Hessen was involved in a Composite Training Unit Exercise off the east coast of the US, in company with the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.^[3] In March the following year she was part of the USS Harry S. Truman combat group.^[4] In June the Hessen transited the Suez Canal with the US force and deployed with the US Fifth Fleet.^[5]

From January to June 2013 Hessen was part of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, as the flagship of Flotilla Admiral Georg von Maltzan. She also participated in Operation Active Endeavour during this period.^[6] From December 2013 to April 2014, Hessen was deployed with EUNAVFOR in Operation Atalanta, tackling piracy off the coast of Somalia.^[7] From May to June 2015, Hessen deployed in the Mediterranean alongside the replenishment ship Berlin. Together the two vessels saved several hundred migrants from shipwrecks and other incidents.^[8]

In 2017 Hessen was responsible for securing the airspace at the G20 summit in Hamburg. On 28 January 2018 Hessen arrived at Naval Station Norfolk.^[9] She and the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen took part in Composite Training Unit Exercises with the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, after which Hessen accompanied the combat group on the first half of its deployment to the Mediterranean.^[10][11] In October 2022, Hessen was assigned to the Carrier Strike Group of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) for the carrier’s maiden deployment.^[12] In 2023, “Hessen” took part in the UK NATO exercise “Joint Warrior 23-2”, which started from King George V dock, Glasgow.