Category: Armed Forces

An odd couple in the same waters

The first ships for military use were built back in ancient times. Today, naval shipbuilding accounts for around a third of German shipbuilding sales. In maritime history, the trireme, which was widely used in the Mediterranean in ancient times, is regarded as the first type of ship to be designed specifically for war. The three distinctive rows of oars and the bronze ramming spur on the bow bear witness to this. Around 170 oarsmen gave the approximately 35 metre long ship the necessary speed of up to ten knots for ramming attacks on enemy units. A two-row predecessor type served as the blueprint for the warship. What both had in common was that they...

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Naval vessels as a strategic means of communication

After the Indo-Pacific deployment of the frigate BAYERN, the desire for a further presence far from home has fallen asleep again for the time being. China and Russia, on the other hand, are stepping up their commitment in this direction. The oceans on which navies operate not only divide. They also connect - without the lines of communication at sea, globalisation would not have been possible. Co-operation between navies manifests the relationship between nations. Joint exercises can be an expression of like-mindedness and even partnership. The presence of naval units conveys messages. Sometimes subtle, sometimes very provocative - in the best sense of the word. In terms of political science, the navy is more than just an object of research. With the...

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Wish list with cancellation potential

With the 2035+ target vision, the Navy is presenting its vision of a long-term organisation. Not all projects will be realised - for various reasons. The navy's hopes for one or two, often long overdue, modernisations were pinned on the special assets of the Bundeswehr. However, the expectations of the smallest branch of the armed forces were muted enough. Most wearers of the blue scarf did not assume that the number of flagstaffs would increase significantly or that the capability potential would change significantly as a result of the Bundeswehr Special Fund. With the publication of a target picture for the navy from 2035, the inspector of the navy is now...

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Quo vadis, Navy?

How should the German Navy develop in the long term in the face of changing times, demographic trends and bureaucratic restrictions? Eight experts share their views on the current concept paper Marine 2035+. Published on 28 March 2023, the Marine 2035+ target vision is a concise paper that deals with naval tasks and fleet structure in a clear and concise manner without lingering in the cloudy style of many other strategy documents. The implied goal-means-route relationship is remarkably illuminating. The clear underlining that the navy is a capital-intensive project, while at the same time pushing unmanned systems - in poker jargon: all in - stands out positively. The future fleet structure...

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Always at the height of the war picture

Today, as a hundred years ago, it is crucial that the naval armament is appropriate to the threat. But this is precisely what the German navy lacked. "If you want peace, arm for war". When, if ever, in 175 years of naval history was the fleet equipped to meet the threat, and are we today? The image of war is the basic idea of the nature of a possible future war, its manifestations, means, intensity and the effects on military warfare. It is the backdrop for a general strategy with strategic objectives and the resulting consequences for the orientation of military means at operational and tactical level. If naval warfare assets effectively support an overall strategy, the fleet is positioned in line with the threat....

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