Tiger class fast attack craft

Not to be confused with Tiger class cruiser or Tiger class battlecruiser.

Tiger class boat S54 Elster (P6154)
Class overview
Operators:	German Navy  Hellenic Navy  Chilean Navy  Egyptian Navy
Preceded by:	Jaguar class fast attack craft
Succeeded by:	Albatros class fast attack craft
Built:	1971-1975
In commission:	1972-2003
Completed:	20
General characteristics (After last refit)
Type:	Fast Attack Craft
Displacement:	265 tonnes (261 long tons)
Length:	47 m (154 ft 2 in)
Beam:	7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Draft:	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:	4 MTU MD 16V 538 TB90 turbo diesel engines, 8,800 kW total 4 propeller shafts
Speed:	36 knots (67 km/h)
Range:	570 nmi (1,060 km) at 36 kn (67 km/h) 1,600 nmi (3,000 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h)
Complement:	30
Sensors and processing systems:	• SMA 3RM 20 navigation radar • Triton G surveillance radar • CASTOR II fire-control radar • Link 11 communications
Electronic warfare and decoys:	• Decoy and flare launcher • Electronic countermeasures suite
Armament:	• 1 × OTO Melara 76mm gun • 1 × Bofors 40mm gun • 4 × MM38 Exocet launchers • 8 × naval mines The Bofors gun can be replaced with mine laying rails
Notes:	The ships have been updated twice (1982—84 and 1990—92), this represents the last update that was performed on all ships.

The Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft is a modification of the French La Combattante II design for the Bundesmarine (German Federal Navy). The La Combattante had been designed by Lürssen of Germany for Israel, but were built in France by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie in Cherbourg (CMN) for political reasons. Eight of the boats were laid down by CMH, but completed by Lürssen.

The boats were commissioned into the Bundesmarine in the mid-1970s, replacing the Jaguar-class boats 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

Pennant number	Name	Call sign	Shipyard	Laid down	Launched	Com- missioned	Decom- missioned	Status
P6141	S41 Tiger	DRBA	CMN	October 11, 1971	September 27, 1972	October 30, 1972	September 24, 1998	to Chilean Navy
P6142	S42 Iltis	DRBB	CMN	February 2, 1972	December 12, 1972	January 8, 1973	October 15, 1992	to Hellenic Navy
P6143	S43 Luchs	DRBC	CMN	March 23, 1972	March 7, 1973	April 9, 1973	August 27, 1998	to Chilean Navy
P6144	S44 Marder	DRBD	CMN	April 15, 1972	May 5, 1973	July 14, 1973	May 25, 1994	to Hellenic Navy
P6145	S45 Leopard	DRBE	CMN	September 12, 1972	July 3, 1973	August 21, 1973	September 28, 2000	to Hellenic Navy
P6146	S46 Fuchs	DRBF	Lürssen	March 10, 1972	May 21, 1973	October 17, 1973	December 19, 2002	to Egyptian Navy
P6147	S47 Jaguar	DRBG	CMN	November 29, 1972	September 20, 1973	November 13, 1973	September 28, 2000	to Hellenic Navy
P6148	S48 Löwe	DRBH	Lürssen	July 10, 1972	September 10, 1973	January 9, 1974	December 19, 2002	to Egyptian Navy
P6149	S49 Wolf	DRBI	CMN			March 4, 1975	August 27, 1997	to Chilean Navy
P6150	S50 Panther	DRBJ	Lürssen	September 30, 1972	December 10, 1973	March 27, 1974	September 29, 2002	scrapped 2003
P6151	S51 Häher	DRBK	CMN			June 12, 1974	June 23, 1994	to Hellenic Navy
P6152	S52 Storch	DRBL	Lürssen	March 12, 1973	March 25, 1974	July 17, 1974	November 12, 1992	to Hellenic Navy
P6153	S53 Pelikan	DRBM	CMN	September 11, 1973	July 4, 1974	September 24, 1974	June 25, 1998	to Chilean Navy
P6154	S54 Elster	DRBN	Lürssen			November 27, 1974	August 27, 1997	to Chilean Navy
P6155	S55 Alk	DRBO	CMN	April 9, 1974	November 15, 1974	January 7, 1975	May 13, 2002	to Egyptian Navy
P6156	S56 Dommel	DRBP	Lürssen	December 13, 1973	October 30, 1974	February 12, 1975	December 19, 2002	to Egyptian Navy
P6157	S57 Weihe	DRBQ	CMN	July 2, 1974	February 13, 1975	April 3, 1975	December 19, 2002	to Egyptian Navy
P6158	S58 Pinguin	DRBR	Lürssen	March 11, 1974	February 26, 1975	May 22, 1975	June 28, 2002	scrapped 2003
P6159	S59 Reiher	DRBS	CMN	November 8, 1974	May 15, 1975	June 24, 1975	September 27, 2002	scrapped 2003
P6160	S60 Kranich	DRBT	Lürssen	May 9, 1974	May 26, 1975	August 6, 1975	September 24, 1998	Chilean Navy

References

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

See also

• FACM Class La Combattante IIa