German corvette Ludwigshafen am Rhein drops unmanned off the coast of Lebanon

German rocket corvette Ludwigshafen am Rhein (F 264), as part of the UN Mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), drops an unmanned aircraft of unknown origin over the Mediterranean. The incident took place on 17 October 2024, about 30 kilometres from the Lebanese port of An-Nakura, where the seat of UNIFIL is located.

The drone was identified early in the morning, prompting the crew of the German ship to intervene immediately. Thanks to the rapid reaction of the drone has been effectively disabled, preventing potential threat to Deutsche Marine.

The unmanned wreck was fished out of the water and subjected to detailed testing. The operation took place during increasing tensions, as UNIFIL's forces were repeatedly shelled during the Israeli offensive against Hezbollah.

Corvettes of the type Braunschweig (which belongs to Ludwigshafen am Rhein) are modern multi-tasking units designed to combat water and air purposes and conduct exploratory missions. These ships have buoyancy 1.8 thousand tons, they measure 89 metres long and 13 metres wide, and their maximum speed is 26 knots. The crew is 60 sailors.

The armament of these units includes two anti-aircraft missile launchers, four RBS-15 anti-ship missile launchers, an OTO Melara Kal naval cannon. 76 mm and two kal sea plots. 27 mm. Ships have helicopter landing bays and have been equipped with two unmanned S-100 reconnaissance helicopters, which greatly increases their operational capacity.

Corvettes are based on the MEKO A-100 structure, on which the ORP was licensed Slag. The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) system plays a key role in the air defense of these units, which is used to neutralize maneuvering missiles and other air threats. Its efficiency may have been decisive when shooting down an unmanned vessel, which further emphasizes the versatility of such ships.

In recent days, UN soldiers in Lebanon have repeatedly targeted attacks. A series of these assaults on UNIFIL peacekeeping forces stations in southern Lebanon caused the German military to declare a high risk to its troops in the region. According to the Bundeswehr spokesperson, all possible protective measures are taken to minimise the risk to soldiers.

These events show the growing importance of modern air defense systems in modern conflicts, in which unmanned combat measures play an increasingly important role in both attacks and reconnaissance.

Source: EuroNews