Category: Armed Forces

Ready for defence

Only a 180-kilometre-wide strait separates Taiwan from the People's Republic of China. The democratic country feels increasingly threatened and is modernising its naval forces. American intelligence services assume that Beijing could attempt to annex Taiwan by force before the end of the current decade. The comparison of David against Goliath comes to mind. In contrast to the biblical story, however, the giant is not only strong, but also increasingly manoeuvrable. In view of the ongoing modernisation of the People's Liberation Navy, Taiwan's naval forces are looking for ways to increase their own clout despite limited resources. The main maritime threats are the possibility of an amphibious offensive by the People's Liberation Navy and a Chinese naval blockade...

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Leadership as a tradition

After the enforced break due to the coronavirus pandemic, leading figures from the navy came together again for the first time at the Historical Tactical Conference. The fruitful dialogue between young and experienced officers was revived for the 62nd time. It is the German Navy's annual event in January: the Historical-Tactical Conference. But nobody in naval circles calls it that. It is the HiTaTa, which was held at the conference hotel in Linstow for the 62nd time since its premiere in 1957 after a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Initiated by the then Commander of the Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Rolf Johannesson, in order to learn from history in an open and critical atmosphere, the format has continued to develop....

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The renaissance of compulsory military service?

After the end of the Cold War, compulsory military service was seen as an obsolete model. But the new era requires new solutions. Since 24 February 2022, conscription, which was suspended in 2011, has suddenly been on everyone's lips again. At the time, German politicians were unanimous in their view that a defence war in Europe was not to be expected in the foreseeable future. Rather, the main task of the armed forces was to secure peace around the world. Furthermore, with a shrinking armed forces, military justice could only be guaranteed if service was shortened to such an extent that it hardly allowed for any meaningful training. Conscripts no longer appeared to be deployable in modern wars. As a result, it was not only opponents of conscription who...

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Ready for management tasks  

The establishment of a maritime command centre is progressing. Deu Marfor is well on the way to achieving full operational capability. Deu Marfor, the German Maritime Forces Staff, is ready. Commissioned on 23 January 2019, the staff is now capable of planning, supporting and leading multinational maritime manoeuvres and operations. The goal of taking on more responsibility within NATO resulted from the security situation following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. The interim goals achieved to date and the experience gained show one thing above all: Deu Marfor has proven its planning and leadership capabilities. The Northern Coasts exercise...

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Geography comes before history

The island location has significantly influenced the character and thinking of the British. From the other side of the Channel, things look different. Ian Morris is regarded as a historian of the long lines. A good ten years ago, in his bestseller "Who rules the world?", he raised the fundamental question of why civilisations rule or are ruled. One of his answers was appropriate at the time, which was characterised by interventions by Western states that often intervened in regional conflicts in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and the Hindu Kush with the help of local forces. Back then, you could watch Morris ride through...

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