The aim of deep precision strikes is to create an effect far into the enemy's hinterland. The German Navy does not currently have this capability - but such weapons could be retrofitted to the F 124 class. The term Deep Precision Strike (DPS) refers to the ability of armed forces to deliver precise...
After decades of neglect, the so-called GIUK gap in the North Atlantic is now receiving renewed security policy attention. And the navies are also turning their attention back to this strategically important region. The northern North Atlantic is an important transit area for transatlantic and global maritime traffic. It is also of considerable strategic importance as the main supply route for...
German shipping companies are concerned about the geopolitical and trade situation in the world. The President of the German Shipowners' Association (VDR), Gabi Bornheim, said at the beginning of the year that around 62 per cent of German exports and 60 per cent of imports are handled by sea and emphasised that without a strong, independent merchant shipping industry,...
The fragile ecosystems of the oceans in particular are suffering from human intervention. Despite this, only declarations of intent remain from this year's UN Ocean Conference. In June 2025, the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) was held in Nice with 175 UN member states, following New York in 2017 and Lisbon in 2022. Around 60 statesmen or high-ranking members of government took part in the...
Countless German cargo ships were abroad at the beginning of the Second World War, denied a way back home. In Indonesia, the crew of the Sophie Rickmers waited for better times. After the occupation of the Netherlands by the German Wehrmacht in 1940, numerous German merchant ships were taken off the Dutch...
Russia is continuing its war of aggression against Ukraine unabated, while trust in its ally, the USA, is dwindling. How is the German population reacting to this dual challenge? The annual population survey conducted by the Centre for Military History and Social Sciences provides answers to questions on threat perception, transatlantic relations and the willingness to defend Germany...
The maritime foundation of European defence and national resilience is more important today than ever before. Securing it is vital for a free Europe. In contrast to the USA, Europe has no cargo ships on standby for national emergencies. There are contracts for the use of merchant ships for strategic logistics - dimensioned...
How do you accumulate a small fortune? By starting with a big one. This old realisation means that you should be careful with a financial cornucopia. And the 2026 defence budget is such a cornucopia. To put it in context: the decision to suspend the constitutionally enshrined debt brake for defence and infrastructure...
The main theme of the conference is "Maritime combat - drivers for research, armaments and utilisation". Under the proven patronage of Rear Admiral Christoph Müller-Meinhard, the event will take place on 23 and 24 September 2025 at the Van der Valk Resort in Linstow. Focussing on maritime research, naval armaments and utilisation, the...
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