The Type 148 Tiger-class fast attack craft are a group of missile boats built to a Franco-German design and seeing service in the German Navy. The vessels entered service in the 1970s and served into the early 21st century. While they have been mostly retired from German Navy service, many were transferred to other navies and remained in service longer.

Design

The vessels had been designed by Lürssen of Germany for Israel. They were a modification of the Jaguar-class fast attack craft, but armed with the French Exocet missile. They were built mainly in France by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie in Cherbourg (CMN) for political reasons; twelve were built and completed there, while another eight of the boats were laid down by CMH, but completed by Lürssen. Their export to Israel was also blocked for political reasons, and the boats were commissioned into the German Navy as the Tiger class. A number of other boats were built by CMN for various navies to the same design, which became known as the La Combattante II type fast attack craft.

Operational history The boats were commissioned into the Bundesmarine in the mid-1970s, replacing the Jaguar-class vessels of the 3rd and 5th Squadrons. At first the boats did not receive names, only numbers, but these were introduced later at the insistence of the crews.

The ships served for 30 years, and received major updates in 1982–84 and 1990–92. After decommissioning, they were scrapped or sold to different countries. No direct replacements were procured as due to the changed operating conditions the Deutsche Marine has reduced the number of these fast attack boats drastically and procured instead a smaller number of corvettes.

Ship list NATOpennantnumberGermanpennantnumberNameCall signShipyardLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedStatusP6141S41TigerDRBACMN11 October 197127 September 197230 October 197224 September 1998 sold to the Chilean Navy as Teniente Uribe (LM-39); decommissioned 2014.P6142S42Iltis (Polecat)DRBBCMN2 February 197212 December 1972 8 January 197315 October 1992 Transferred to the Hellenic Navy September 1993, commissioned 17 February 1994 as Ypoploiarchos Votsis (Pennant number P51, then P72)P6143S43Luchs (Lynx)DRBCCMN23 March 19727 March 19739 April 197327 August 1998 sold to the Chilean Navy for scrappingP6144S44Marder (Marten)DRBDCMN15 April 19725 May 197314 July 197325 May 1994 Transferred to the Hellenic Navy 16 March 1995, commissioned 30 June 1995 as Plotarchis Vlahavas (Pennant number P74)P6145S45LeopardDRBECMN13 September 19723 July 197321 August 197328 September 2000 Transferred to the Hellenic Navy and commissioned 27 October 2000 as Ypoploiarchos Tounas (Pennant number P76)P6146S46Fuchs (Fox)DRBFLürssen10 March 197221 May 19717 October 197319 December 2002 Sold to the Egyptian NavyP6147S47JaguarDRBGCMN29 November 197220 September 197313 November 197328 September 2000 Transferred to the Hellenic Navy and commissioned 27 October 2000 as Plotarchis Sakipis (Pennant number P77)P6148S48Löwe (Lion)DRBHLürssen10 July 197210 September 19739 January 197419 December 2002 sold to the Egyptian NavyP6149S49WolfDRBICMN23 January 1973 11 January 197426 February 197427 August 1997 sold to the Chilean Navy in 1997 as Guardiamarina Riquelme (LM-36); decommissioned 2004.P6150S50PantherDRBJLürssen30 September 197210 December 197327 March 197429 September 2002 scrapped 2003P6151S51Häher (Jay)DRBKCMN5 April 1973 26 April 197412 June 197423 June 1994 Transferred to the Hellenic Navy 16 March 1995, commissioned 30 June 1995 as Plotarchis Maridakis (Pennant number P75)P6152S52Storch (Stork)DRBLLürssen12 March 197325 March 197417 July 197412 November 1992 Transferred to the Hellenic Navy September 1993, commissioned 17 February 1994 as Antiploiarchos Pezopoulos (Pennant number P30, then P73)P6153S53Pelikan (Pelican)DRBMCMN11 September 19734 July 197424 September 197425 June 1998 sold to the Chilean Navy for scrapping.P6154S54Elster (Magpie)DRBNLürssen29 June 1973 8 July 197414 November 197427 August 1997 sold to the Chilean Navy in 1997 as Teniente Orella (LM-37); decommissioned 2014.P6155S55Alk (Auk)DRBOCMN9 April 197415 November 19747 January 197513 May 2002 sold to the Egyptian NavyP6156S56Dommel (Bittern)DRBPLürssen13 December 197330 October 197412 February 197519 December 2002 sold to the Egyptian NavyP6157S57Weihe (Harrier)DRBQCMN2 July 197413 February 19753 April 197519 December 2002 sold to the Egyptian NavyP6158S58Pinguin (Penguin)DRBR Lürssen 11 March 197426 February 197522 May 197528 June 2002 scrapped 2003P6159S59Reiher (Heron)DRBSCMN8 November 197415 May 197524 June 197527 September 2002 scrapped 2003P6160S60Kranich (Crane)DRBTLürssen9 May 197426 May 19756 August 197524 September 1998 sold to the Chilean Navy in 1998 as Teniente Serrano (LM-38); decommissioned 2014.

See also La Combattante class fast attack craft

References Notes

Bibliography

External links Schnellboote TIGER-Klase – Marine (Official homepage of the German Navy) Warships on the Web S46 Fuchs S51 Häher S58 Pinguin