Outdated Tech of the German Navy’s Frigates
The German Navy’s Brandenburg-class F123 frigates are getting an upgrade. This doesn’t just mean a fresh coat of paint or a new set of weapons, but a tech overhaul. Imagine using an 8-inch floppy disk for your computer. That’s exactly what the German Navy’s frigates have been doing for data collection. Crazy, right? But that’s about to change.
The frigates use these floppy disks for something called onboard data acquisition systems (spoken in the tech world as DAQ). This sounds complicated, but it’s basically the ship’s brain that controls everything, like the power system. Tom’s Hardware, a website about everything tech, talked about this recently.
Importance of DAQ systems
If you want to understand why DAQs are necessary, think of them as the control room for the ship. They’re all about power and helping the ship do its thing, like submarine hunting and defending against airborne threats. A German journalist specializing in defense and security, Thomas Wiegold, explained this on his blog, Augen geradeaus!
In June, Augen geradeaus! spotted a job post by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, IT, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), Germany’s tech team for the military. They’re looking for someone to upgrade the German Navy’s F123 frigates.
The History of the F123 Frigates
This fleet of frigates has an interesting story. They have been in service since the mid-90s—1994 to 1996, to be exact. Yes, the floppy disk era. Heise, a German IT news outlet, tells us they’ve stuck with floppy disks for so long because they’re considered incredibly reliable. But just like how you’d prefer a smartphone over an inconsistent flip phone, it’s time for the frigates to get a tech upgrade.
Next Steps for the German Navy
So, what’s next? The call for help from the BAAINBw means they are ready to modernize the navy fleet. It’s time to say goodbye to the 8-inch floppy disks. It’s unknown what will replace the floppy disks, but it’s safe to assume it will be something more up-to-date, easier to use, and certainly more high-tech.
It’s kind of amazing to think that such important defense ships have been relying on such old technology, isn’t it? It goes to show that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ has some truth. But like all things, technology must advance. As the world becomes more digital, even the great German Navy frigates need to keep up. When you consider how far we’ve come from floppy disks, the idea of a high-tech navy ship doesn’t seem too far-fetched, does it?
The revamp signals a big leap forward in the digitalization process for the German Navy. It’s not just about keeping up with times, but about improving efficiency and defense capabilities.
Kick-starting this thrilling new chapter for the German Navy is an exciting prospect. A fleet of modern, high-tech frigates capable of tackling the challenges of the digital age? Now, that’s a future to look forward to.