German frigate Hessen on the EU mission Aspides in the Red Sea

After Systematic was selected in November 2023 to provide the command and control (C2) for the German Navy's future F126 frigate program, the Bundeswehr has now begun its contribution to the EU Aspides mission in the Red Sea with the frigate “Hessen”. The German ship is used in an international network to protect merchant ships.

Shortly after the German Bundestag approved the mandate for German participation, the German frigate was transferred to Aspides' EU operations headquarters in Larissa, Greece. In the operational region, a force headquarters will be set up on board an Italian ship. During this mission, SitaWare is used both in the Maritime Operations Center in Glücksburg and in the operational command in Potsdam on the German side.

Together with warships from other nations, it is intended to repel attacks by the Houthi militias from Yemen on freighters and tankers on the way to and from the Suez Canal.

The German warship, specialising in air defence, left Wilhelmshaven with around 240 crew members. Among other things, during the operation off the Yemeni coast, the ship will be under constant threat in the so-called war march - prepared for an attack at any time.

In addition to the graduated anti-aircraft defence already available on the F124 class frigate with missiles from the Rolling Airframe Missile, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile and Standard Missile 2 weapon systems, Hessen also has Sea Lynx helicopters and soldiers from the sea battalion on board. Among other things, the Marines are supposed to use electronic devices to protect against small drones and conventional weapons to counter possible attacks from small boats.