View source for Gepard-class fast attack craft

{{Short description|Class of German attack craft}}
{{more footnotes|date=January 2013}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Hafengeburtstag 2015 P 6122.jpg
| Ship caption = ''Puma''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Builders = 
| Operators = *{{navy|Germany}}
*{{navy|Ghana}}
| Class before = {{Sclass|Albatros|fast attack craft|4}}
| Class after = {{sclass|Braunschweig|corvette|1}}
| Subclasses = 
| Built range = 
| In service range = 
| In commission range = 1982-present
| Total ships planned = 10
| Total ships completed = 10
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 2
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships retired = 8
| Total ships preserved = 1
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Fast attack craft]]
| Ship displacement = {{convert|390|t|LT|abbr=on}}
| Ship length = {{convert|57.6|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|7.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship draught = {{convert|2.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = 4 × [[diesel engine]]s, totalling {{convert|13235|kW|abbr=on}}
| Ship speed = {{convert|40|kn}}
| Ship range = 
| Ship complement = 5 officers, 31 enlisted
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = *[[Decoy#Military decoy|Decoy]] launcher HOT DOG
*[[Chaff (countermeasure)|Chaff]] launcher DAG 2200 ''Wolke''
| Ship armament = *1 × [[Otobreda 76 mm]] gun
*4 × [[Exocet|MM38 Exocet]] [[anti-ship missile]]s
*1 × GDC [[Rolling Airframe Missile|RAM]] launcher, 21 cells
*2 × [[M2 Browning machine gun|MG50-1]] machine guns
*[[Naval mine|Minelaying]] capability
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''Type 143A ''Gepard'' class''' was a [[Ship class|class]] of missile bearing [[fast attack craft]] ({{langx|de|Schnellboot}}) and the last one in service with the [[German Navy]] before the remaining four operational ships were decommissioned on 16 November 2016. The Ghana Navy operates two such ships. 

It is an evolution of the {{sclass|Albatros|fast attack craft|4}}, the main difference being the replacement of the second 76&nbsp;mm gun by the RAM system. The ''Gepard''-class vessels were gradually supplemented by {{sclass|Braunschweig|corvette}}s and later replaced completely by them.

The ships in class were named after small to medium-sized predatory animals; ''Gepard'' is German for "[[cheetah]]".

==List of ships==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
![[NATO]]<br>[[Pennant number|pennant<br>number]]
!German<br>pennant<br>number
!Name
![[Call sign|Call<br>sign]]
!Commissioned
!Decommissioned
!Status
|-
|P6121||S 71||'' Gepard''  ||DRCE|| 7 December 1982||12 December 2014||Museum ship in [[Wilhelmshaven]]
|-
|P6122||S 72|| '' Puma  '' ||DRCF|| 17 February 1983|| 14 December 2015
|
|-
|P6123||S 73||'' Hermelin '' ||DRCG|| 28 April 1983|| 16 November 2016<ref name="nov">{{cite web |title=''Germany retires last fast attack craft'' |date=16 November 2016 |url=http://navaltoday.com/2016/11/16/germany-retires-last-fast-attack-craft/|publisher=Naval Today|access-date=4 December 2016}}</ref>
|
|-
|P6124||S 74||'' Nerz   ''   ||DRCH|| 14 July 1983|| 31 March 2012
|Transferred to Ghana Navy
|-
|P6125||S 75||'' Zobel ''    ||DRCI|| 28 September 1983|| 16 November 2016<ref name="nov"/>
|
|-
|P6126||S 76|| ''Frettchen'' ||DRCJ|| 16 December 1983|| 16 November 2016<ref name="nov"/>
|
|-
|P6127||S 77|| ''Dachs ''    ||DRCK|| 22 March 1984|| 31 March 2012
|Transferred to Ghana Navy
|-
|P6128||S 78||'' Ozelot''    ||DRCL|| 25 May 1984|| 18 December 2014
|
|-
|P6129||S 79||'' Wiesel ''   ||DRCM|| 12 July 1984|| 14 December 2015
|
|-
|P6130||S 80||'' Hyäne  ''   ||DRCN|| 13 November 1984||16 November 2016<ref name="nov"/>
|
|}

The "S" and the number are part of the ship's full name. When the ships were first commissioned, their designation included only the number; however, the crews petitioned for full names, and the decision was made to combine the original names with the additional animal name.

Since 1 July 2006, all ships had formed part of the 7. Schnellbootgeschwader (7th Fast Patrol Boat Squadron), whereas for the eight years prior the flotilla was split into (hulls S 76–S 80) 2. Schnellbootgeschwader (2nd Fast Patrol Boat Squadron), and (hulls S 71–S 75) 7. Schnellbootgeschwader. The squadron was stationed in Warnemünde, where both predecessor squadrons had been based.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Schnellboot P6121.jpg|S71 ''Gepard''
File:ExocetNerz.jpg|Exocet launchers onboard S74 ''Nerz''
File:RAM-Nerz.jpg|[[Rolling Airframe Missile|RAM]] launcher onboard S74 ''Nerz''
File:Zobel P6125 (Ship, 1983).jpg|S 75 Zobel
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{commonscat|Gepard class}}
*{{cite web |title=''Schnellboot GEPARD-Klasse'' |url=http://www.marine.de/portal/a/marine/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP3I5EyrpHK93MQivfLEtLTUvNI8vez8orLUkpJUvfTUgsSiFP2CbEdFAF1MBSk!/|publisher=German Navy|access-date=10 July 2013|language=de}}

{{Ship classes of the Deutsche Marine}}

[[Category:Patrol vessels of the German Navy]]
[[Category:Missile boat classes]]


{{Germany-mil-ship-stub}}