German Navy Replaces Old 8-Inch Floppy Drives on Frigates

The German Navy is seeking a new storage system to replace its old 8-inch floppy disks on its Brandenburg class F123 frigates. These frigates, vital for anti-submarine warfare, still use floppy disks for crucial functions like propulsion and power generation.

Replacing Floppy Disks with Modern Solutions

According to a tender document, the ideal solution would be a storage emulation system that can replace the floppy disks. This update is essential as the frigates, commissioned in the mid-1990s, rely on these disks for their data acquisition systems.

The F123 frigates, known for their submarine-hunting capabilities, are also receiving upgrades to their weapon systems. Swedish company Saab is leading these modernization efforts.

Challenges and Solutions

Replacing decades-old hardware while keeping existing functionality is challenging. However, there are technologies like Gotek drives that emulate various floppy standards and formats. The choice of the provider will determine the project’s success.

Other systems have faced similar challenges. For instance, the U.S. Strategic Automated Command and Control System used 8-inch floppy disks until 2019 before switching to solid-state storage. In Japan, the government recently eliminated the last regulations requiring floppy disks.

The German Navy’s move to modernize storage on its frigates is a step toward ensuring more reliable and efficient operations.