Category: Security policy

Charting a new course together

Charting a new course together

Posted by | 27 Apr 2021 | , , , | 0

European cooperation has proven its worth in many areas of the defence industry. Can German-Dutch cooperation become the nucleus for European naval shipbuilding? Christian Freiherr von Oldershausen and Marcel Hendriks Last summer, the Federal Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Damen Schelde Naval Shipyards and Thales for the construction of four frigates 126, the former multi-purpose combat ship 180 (MKS 180). The fact that the new naval combat ship, which was put out to tender across Europe, is to be built by Blohm+Voss in Hamburg under Dutch leadership, caused a great deal of controversy in politics and industry. Understandably so, because in addition to a possible wound to national pride, there were concerns that...

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War in the shadows

War in the shadows

Posted by | 13 Apr 2021 | , , | 1

Mine warfare in the North Sea began with a modest operation in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. The approach to Wilhelmshaven was secured by mine barriers to prevent French forces from entering, as a French squadron had previously briefly flown the flag at Helgoland. These barriers were then intensively guarded by the existing coastal defence units, but not a single French ship came anywhere near the restricted areas during the war. After the war, the development of mines, at that time still combined with torpedoes, was further promoted, but without producing any spectacular activities. The first real naval mine, the C 77 model, was put into service in 1877. It was...

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The 75-year-old danger

The 75-year-old danger

Posted by | 12 Apr 2021 | , , | 1

Since the end of the Second World War, millions of tonnes of contaminated waste have been stored in German waters. Their removal is still the subject of controversial debate between the federal and state governments. In the twelve-mile zone of the North Sea and Baltic Sea and in the seaward Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), there are around 1.6 million tonnes of contaminated munitions, including over 5,000 tonnes of gas munitions. The nautical charts show 15 dumping areas, labelled as "unclean munitions" or "anchoring and fishing prohibited". There are also positions with scattered munitions. The inventory has not yet been finalised. Since 2011, the Federal/State Working Group on the North Sea and Baltic Sea (Blano) has published the annually updated report "Munitions contamination of German marine waters". Unfortunately, the...

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What is the Bundeswehr doing in Africa?

What is the Bundeswehr doing in Africa?

Posted by | 23 Mar 2021 | , , | 2

Wolfram Lacher recently published an SWP study entitled "Unser schwieriger Partner - Deutschlands und Frankreichs erfolgloses Engagement in Libyen und Mali" (https://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/studien/2021S03_deutschland_frankreich_libyen_mali.pdf). What makes the paper so worth reading from a German perspective is not so much the knowledgeable detailed analysis of German and French Africa policy. Rather, it is the ruthlessness with which the author reveals the differences between the two countries and the fundamental German deficits in operational security policy. It is worth reflecting on this on the basis of Lacher's study.France has tried to separate itself from colonial concepts in recent decades, but has repeatedly reverted to the ideas of the Françafrique. It...

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Another drug find in the Caribbean

Another drug find in the Caribbean

Posted by | 25 Feb 2021 | , , | 0

The French navy was once again successful in the fight against drug smuggling in the second week of February. In the dark, the crew of the frigate Germinal spotted a suspicious boat without a national emblem in the south-west of the island of Saint-Martin. As the frigate approached the boat, it turned away and attempted to flee. During the pursuit, the men and women on board the naval vessel were able to document 15 packages being thrown into the sea. They eventually managed to stop the boat and arrest the three occupants. In the hours that followed, the Germinal located 11 of the 15 packages and fished them out of the water. As expected,...

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