Category: Security policy

Mock attacks on Russia's doorstep

On 23 June, the British destroyer Defender incurred the displeasure of the Russians in waters south of Crimea. Apparently, it was travelling through an area that Russia has considered to be its territorial waters since the annexation of Crimea. As a result, Russian fighter planes and ships harassed it, causing the Defender to change course and leave the waters. Just one day later, according to the Dutch Ministry of Defence, Russian fighter jets flew low over the HNMS Evertsen. Like the Defender, the Dutch air defence frigate is part of the destroyer Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group and was also in the Black Sea, but is said to have...

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Europe course

The Indian frigate Tabar set off on a four-month voyage to Europe in mid-June. After crossing the Mediterranean, the Tabar will enter the Atlantic via the Strait of Gibraltar and then head north. It will sail across the North Sea and Baltic Sea to Russia, where the frigate will take part in the Russian Naval Days from 22 to 27 July. After passing through the Suez Canal, the first port of call will be Alexandria in Egypt. This will be followed by stops in Italy, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Russia, the Netherlands and Morocco. During the deployment, the...

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A watchful gaze from space

The Royal Navy has extended a contract with Airbus for satellite-based maritime surveillance by one year. This was preceded by a proof-of-concept phase. As part of the agreement, the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) will be provided with images from optical and radar sources and reports generated from them. This will continue to enable the seamless observation of all vessels in important British sea areas. The JMSC is the UK Government's Centre of Excellence for Maritime Security. The data now supplied by Airbus complements and refines the centre's own observations. The contract includes so-called Vessel Detection Reports. Their content is based on the analysis of SAR data,...

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Summer visit to the polar bears

While the thermometers in Central Europe are showing summer heat, the British research vessel Protector has set an icy record. Never before has a Royal Navy ship travelled further north than 80° 41.5' N. To be fair, this does not include submarines, which pass under the perpetual ice and then break through the ice cover when they surface at a suitable point. The Protector has now come within 1050 kilometres of the North Pole to collect data on the ocean and the environment. It was a long way to get there, as the research vessel had not travelled to the...

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Keynote speech by the Inspector of the Navy

"100 days in office - what matters to me" On Friday 25 June, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach gave his first keynote speech. He began by explaining his choice of venue - the Naval NCO School in Plön - by pointing out that the MUS is an important institution in the navy. The petty officers and boatswains "have always been the backbone of the German Navy". Without beating around the bush, he clearly stated that the primary goal must be to "continue to offer the navy to politicians as a reliable and versatile instrument". The necessity of actively shaping security policy His assessment: "I often have the impression that our naval...

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