German Navy selects Lockheed Martin Canada's CMS 330 for surface fleet

The Baden-Württemberg (Type 125)-class frigate Baden-Württemberg (F 222) during Exercise ‘RIMPAC 2024'. The class is in line to be the first in the German Navy to be integrated with Lockheed Martin Canada's CMS 330. (US Navy)

Germany has selected Lockheed Martin Canada's Combat Management System (CMS) 330 in a projected CAD1 billion (USD708.7 million) government-to-government contract signed on 14 November between the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) and the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr: BAAINBw). CMS 330 will be integrated across several platforms of the German Navy surface fleet as part of the Standardisation of Weapons Command and Control Systems (Standardisierung der Führungswaffeneinsatzsysteme: FüWES) programme.

Timeline and testing

Speaking to Janes on 24 November, Glenn Copeland, general manager, Lockheed Martin Canada Rotary & Missions Systems, said that the CMS 330 solution for FüWES grew as a separate programme under discussion during the company's engagement with Germany on the future Type 127 frigates. “The F 127 was the genesis of the entire approach, as it was the programme of record,” Copeland said. While the company was working on the Type 127 project, the separate FüWES programme was funded and subsequently prioritised by Germany. This resulted in a combination of the projects and the ultimate selection of CMS 330.