# Tiger-class fast attack craft

The Type 148 Tiger-class fast attack craft are a group of missile boats built to a Franco-German design and seeing service in the German Navy. The vessels entered service in the 1970s and served into the early 21st century. While they have been mostly retired from German Navy service, many were transferred to other navies and remained in service longer.

## Design

The vessels had been designed by Lürssen of Germany for Israel. They were a modification of the Jaguar-class fast attack craft but armed with the French Exocet missile. They were built mainly in France by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie in Cherbourg (CMN) for political reasons; twelve were built and completed there, while another eight of the boats were laid down by CMH, but completed by Lürssen.
Their export to Israel was also blocked for political reasons, and the boats were commissioned into the German Navy as the Tiger class. A number of other boats were built by CMN for various navies to the same design, which became known as the La Combattante II type fast attack craft.

## Operational history

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

| NATO pennant number | German pennant number | Name | Call sign | Shipyard | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Status |
| P6141 | S41 | Tiger | DRBA | CMN | 11 October 1971 | 27 September 1972 | 30 October 1972 | 24 September 1998 | sold to the Chilean Navy as Teniente Uribe (LM-39); decommissioned 2014. |
| P6142 | S42 | Iltis (Polecat) | DRBB | CMN | 2 February 1972 | 12 December 1972 | 8 January 1973 | 15 October 1992 | sold to the Hellenic Navy |
| P6143 | S43 | Luchs (Lynx) | DRBC | CMN | 23 March 1972 | 7 March 1973 | 9 April 1973 | 27 August 1998 | sold to the Chilean Navy for scrapping |
| P6144 | S44 | Marder (Marten) | DRBD | CMN | 15 April 1972 | 5 May 1973 | 14 July 1973 | 25 May 1994 | sold to the Hellenic Navy |
| P6145 | S45 | Leopard | DRBE | CMN | 13 September 1972 | 3 July 1973 | 21 August 1973 | 28 September 2000 | sold to the Hellenic Navy |
| P6146 | S46 | Fuchs (Fox) | DRBF | Lürssen | 10 March 1972 | 21 May 197 | 17 October 1973 | 19 December 2002 | Sold to the Egyptian Navy |
| P6147 | S47 | Jaguar | DRBG | CMN | 29 November 1972 | 20 September 1973 | 13 November 1973 | 28 September 2000 | sold to the Hellenic Navy |
| P6148 | S48 | Löwe (Lion) | DRBH | Lürssen | 10 July 1972 | 10 September 1973 | 9 January 1974 | 19 December 2002 | sold to the Egyptian Navy |
| P6149 | S49 | Wolf | DRBI | CMN | 23 January 1973 | 11 January 1974 | 26 February 1974 | 27 August 1997 | sold to the Chilean Navy in 1997 as Guardiamarina Riquelme (LM-36); decommissioned 2004. |
| P6150 | S50 | Panther | DRBJ | Lürssen | 30 September 1972 | 10 December 1973 | 27 March 1974 | 29 September 2002 | scrapped 2003 |
| P6151 | S51 | Häher (Jay) | DRBK | CMN | 5 April 1973 | 26 April 1974 | 12 June 1974 | 23 June 1994 | sold to the Hellenic Navy |
| P6152 | S52 | Storch (Stork) | DRBL | Lürssen | 12 March 1973 | 25 March 1974 | 17 July 1974 | 12 November 1992 | sold to the Hellenic Navy |
| P6153 | S53 | Pelikan (Pelican) | DRBM | CMN | 11 September 1973 | 4 July 1974 | 24 September 1974 | 25 June 1998 | sold to the Chilean Navy for scrapping. |
| P6154 | S54 | Elster (Magpie) | DRBN | Lürssen | 29 June 1973 | 8 July 1974 | 14 November 1974 | 27 August 1997 | sold to the Chilean Navy in 1997 as Teniente Orella (LM-37); decommissioned 2014. |
| P6155 | S55 | Alk (Auk) | DRBO | CMN | 9 April 1974 | 15 November 1974 | 7 January 1975 | 13 May 2002 | sold to the Egyptian Navy |
| P6156 | S56 | Dommel (Bittern) | DRBP | Lürssen | 13 December 1973 | 30 October 1974 | 12 February 1975 | 19 December 2002 | sold to the Egyptian Navy |
| P6157 | S57 | Weihe (Harrier) | DRBQ | CMN | 2 July 1974 | 13 February 1975 | 3 April 1975 | 19 December 2002 | sold to the Egyptian Navy |
| P6158 | S58 | Pinguin (Penguin) | DRBR | Lürssen | 11 March 1974 | 26 February 1975 | 22 May 1975 | 28 June 2002 | scrapped 2003 |
| P6159 | S59 | Reiher (Heron) | DRBS | CMN | 8 November 1974 | 15 May 1975 | 24 June 1975 | 27 September 2002 | scrapped 2003 |
| P6160 | S60 | Kranich (Crane) | DRBT | Lürssen | 9 May 1974 | 26 May 1975 | 6 August 1975 | 24 September 1998 | sold to the Chilean Navy in 1998 as Teniente Serrano (LM-38); decommissioned 2014. |