Category: Armed Forces

Points of view: The Bundeswehr abides by law and order!

A letter to the editor on the topic of defence administration The bureaucratisation in the military administration and troops addressed by Dieter Stockfisch in his article "Improve operational capability!" (marineforum 3-2021) is indisputable. The bureaucratisation of military administration and troops is undeniable. Therefore, approaches to examine the existing processes in procurement and the use of defence equipment in terms of their usefulness and efficiency are to be welcomed in principle. However, the article makes a number of statements that are factually incorrect and in some cases demonstrate a questionable understanding of the constitution and the law, which is why we would like to take this opportunity to provide some clarification: The current international rules and conventions on shipping (e.g. Solas, Marpol) do not apply to warships. The German Ship Safety Act does not apply to ships of the German Armed Forces...

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Discipline and the will to succeed are crucial

The sea battalion attracts many young men, but also women, who are looking for a personal challenge. The fascination of this unit lies particularly in the fact that the battalion is the Bundeswehr's naval infantry. However: wanting does not mean being able per se. Questions for Kapitänleutnant Klemens Klabunde, 33, head of the training company 1 responsible for the "green" part since April 2019. Access marineforum digital+ Are you already a registered user? Log in here now - also MOV members: Username Password Remember meLost your password? Don't have access yet? Click here for the marineforum digital+ subscription: Access to all articles from the marineforum...

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Maritime Interdiction Operations

If political decisions are to be enforced against the will of third parties, there are a number of options available. Operation Irini centres on boarding in various forms. Maritime interdiction operations serve to enforce political will. One example of this is the current military operation Irini (Eunavfor Med Irini) of the European Union (EU), the predecessor of which was Operation Sophia. The core task of Irini (Greek for peace) is to implement the United Nations arms embargo against Libya in accordance with UN Resolution 2292 from 2016. The operation also aims to gather information on illegal oil exports and prevent people smuggling.

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"The shirt is short, but not too short!"

Interview with frigate captain Norman Bronsch, commander of the naval battalion The current naval battalion was reorganised in 2014 for national crisis preparedness. Its mission is to participate in military evacuation operations worldwide in the maritime environment and - as part of national and alliance defence - in amphibious operations. This requires capabilities for object protection on land and at sea, boarding operations and information gathering, as well as effective defence against explosive ordnance above and below water and the use of snipers. The geographical range of operations currently extends from Afghanistan, Mali and Djibouti to the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea. Apart from the soldiers deployed there, there are permanent...

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Combat swimmers in the African desert

UPDATE There is an interesting documentary on the subject in the ARD Mediathek: Einsatz in der Todeszone. German combat swimmers can not only operate in the maritime environment. When training Nigerian special forces, they achieve remarkable things under adverse conditions. The sun has only just emerged over the dusty hill. The thermometer shows 25° C in the shade. This is the coolest moment of the day. From now on, the temperature rises steadily to 46°C. A team of combat swimmers has already been busy with early morning exercise for almost an hour. Morning routine at Camp Desert Flower, as the small base in the middle of the Sahel country of Niger is affectionately christened...

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