Why an F125 frigate routed around Africa

What do you make of the German F125 frigate being sent around Africa instead of through the Red Sea?

Its point defences do not cover the ballistic-missile threat. Sailing around Africa avoided diverting an allied warship equipped for ballistic-missile defence to escort it and its replenishment ship.

The Baden-Württemberg class was designed during the peace-dividend era for long presence missions in a low-threat environment. Its RAM launchers and 5-inch gun could handle lower-end air and surface threats during a rapid transit, but the ship lacks a defence against Houthi ballistic and quasi-ballistic missiles. Sending it through the Red Sea with a replenishment ship would therefore require a US, French, or Italian warship able to provide ballistic-missile defence. Routing both ships around Africa avoided adding an escort burden to the coalition force and was a sensible response to a mission the frigate was never built to undertake.