In a significant step towards modernizing its fleet, the German Navy is set to retire the aging 8-inch floppy disks that have long been a staple of its Brandenburg-class F123 frigates. These anti-submarine warfare vessels, commissioned between 1994 and 1996, have relied on the outdated storage medium for critical data acquisition systems, which are essential for controlling ship functions such as power generation and propulsion.
This is part of the more general initiative of upgrading the technology on the frigates without having to upgrade the whole data acquisition system. This onboard emulation system will instead be designed and integrated by the German Navy to replace the floppy disks. The same strategy was adopted by the US Air Force in 2019 when it replaced the 8-inch floppies with solid-state drives on its intercontinental ballistic missile command and control network.
The German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support, BAAINBw, isn’t wasting any time in trying to update the F123 frigates. In July 2021, a contract worth around $436.7 million was handed to the Swedish defense contractor Saab for delivering and integrating new naval radars and fire control directors with a new combat management system. All that pertains to upgrading the data acquisition system, in particular replacing the floppy disks, is an independent activity.
The German defense and security policy blog Augen geradeaus! rather puts across that data acquisition systems are vital and previously used in recording operating parameters, hence very crucial to the operation of the ships.
The tender to replace the floppy disk was published by the BAAINBw on 21 June and tended to be replaced, with the contract starting on 1 October and ending on 31 July 2025. F123 frigates are scheduled for service until the newer F126 class is available between 2028 and 2031.
The fact that floppy disks are still in use for critical operations underlines the modernization challenge of legacy systems: new technologies promise enormous improvements, but replacing established systems is often extremely costly and complicated. Emulation solutions provide middle grounds that enable incremental upgrading of the current system without extensive hardware changes.
This certainly isn’t the first German authority to ditch the floppy disk. Recently, Japan moved to abolish regulations requiring official submissions to be made using floppy disks. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has plans to no longer use 5¼-inch floppies in its Muni Metro light rail by 2030.
The German Navy is following the path of modernization, supported by a broader tendency to replace old technologies with more reliable and easily accessible products. The successful completion of the project is dependent upon the supplier selected and the efficiency of emulation technology in keeping the replaced systems functional.
Seeking to upgrade its fleet, the German Navy’s effort does more than ring with a suggestion of why critical systems are also supposed to be revamped so things remain efficient and to their best in operational capacity.