Eckernförde (ots) - On Thursday, 30 June 2022, the commander of Operational Flotilla 1, Flotilla Admiral Henning Faltin (54), will hand over command of the 1st Submarine Squadron from Frigate Captain Frédéric Strauch (45) to Frigate Captain Lars Gößing (43).
Frigate Captain Strauch has led the 1st Submarine Squadron with its six submarines, three fleet service boats and a tender since October 2020. "In numbers, we look back on a time when we sometimes had four units of the squadron on missions at the same time. This included 'U35', the first time a German submarine was subordinate to an EU operation. We can all be proud of that," says Strauch. In addition to missions such as Irini and Sea Guardian, the squadron also took part in the Frontier Conceiver reconnaissance operation. The soldiers of the 1st Submarine Squadron also demonstrated their commitment in the fight against the pandemic.
"After a very intensive period characterised by the restrictions of the pandemic, I can look back on a fulfilling time as commander. Maintaining the cohesion of this squadron during this very challenging time for all of us is certainly our greatest success," says Strauch, summarising his time as commander.
Looking back, he is convinced that the squadron has taken the right measures in recent years to fulfil its mission despite all the restrictions and restraints. Saying goodbye to his squadron is anything but easy for him now: "Looking back, I will certainly miss the close camaraderie. The joy that people take in their service, the pride in their task and the humour with which we all put up with each other is something that I have not been able to experience anywhere else to this extent. I am now looking forward to spending time with my family at my next post in the USA and would like to say thank you for a great time as Commander of the 1st Submarine Squadron."
For Frigate Captain Gößing, taking command is a return to his roots: "For me, it is both a matter of the heart and a privilege to be able to take over the leadership of the 1st Submarine Squadron," says the new commander, who is no stranger to the squadron after previous assignments as commander and in the submarine training centre. Gößing has a clear goal for his upcoming time as commander: "In order to strengthen the operational readiness of the squadron, material, personnel and training must be further expanded to meet the requirements of the missions.
Background information
The 1st Submarine Squadron in Eckernförde consists of the six Class 212A submarines, an Elbe-class tender and the Oste-class fleet service boats. The submarine training centre and the hydroacoustic analysis centre are also part of the squadron. The two main capabilities of the submarines lie in gathering information with their long-range sonar on the one hand and engaging underwater and surface targets on the other. The boats are designed for worldwide missions, but their size, design and manoeuvring characteristics make them particularly suitable for use close to shore and in shallow water. Thanks to their air-independent propulsion, they can operate submerged for long periods of time, for example to gain an undetected picture of the situation in a sea area. They can also secretly transport special forces, for example for rescue and evacuation missions.
The "Main" tender is a special version of the Elbe-class supply ships, specially converted for the requirements of submarines. It is therefore the only one of the navy's six tenders that is not part of the support squadron.
The so-called Oste-class fleet service boats are platforms for long-range electronic reconnaissance. This enables them to warn political decision-makers of crises and conflicts at an early stage and keep them informed on an ongoing basis.
English 
German
0 Kommentare