German Navy to replace aging 8-inch floppy drives with an emulated solution

The German Navy is seeking to replace the aging 8-inch floppy drives on its Brandenburg class F123 frigates with a modern storage solution. These floppy disks are crucial for controlling basic ship functions like propulsion and power generation. The Navy is looking for a drop-in replacement based on a storage emulation system. The frigates, specialized in anti-submarine warfare, are undergoing upgrades, including their weapon systems. Companies like Saab are involved in the modernization efforts. While replacing the decades-old hardware poses challenges, solutions like floppy emulation technology exist, such as Gotek drives. Similar transitions away from outdated technology have been seen in other sectors, like the U.S. military's move from 8-inch floppy disks to solid-state storage. The German Navy's decision on the replacement project will determine the path forward for these critical systems on their frigates.