Category: Armed Forces

It's about the islands

As a major economic power, Japan maintains an extremely efficient coastguard with a wide range of tasks and capabilities in addition to its navy. Together they ensure security in a conflict-prone region of the world. With over 6800 islands (of which more than 400 are permanently inhabited) and a coastline of 29,751 kilometres, Japan is one of the world's largest maritime nations. In addition to the four large main islands, smaller island groups such as the Ogasawara and Ryukyu Islands ensure that Japan, with a land area of 380,000 square kilometres, has almost as large territorial waters (430,000 km2) and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of more than ten times its land area. With...

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Turning point at sea

The world is on the move: Climate change, upheavals between nations and new technologies are among the challenges facing modern navies. This makes it all the more important to adapt their capabilities quickly. In times of multiple crises, the world is changing and with it the strategic environment. This also applies to naval forces, which are undergoing rapid development around the globe. Local wars are taking place, regional ones are conceivable. The Cold War is back with new centres of gravity in Eastern Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. Starting positions for future conflicts are being established in the Arctic, Antarctic and outer space. It is often about maritime borders,...

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Clear sailing in the Baltic Sea  

The close military cooperation in the Baltic Sea region that has been practised for years is now paying off. NATO candidates Finland and Sweden are demonstrating their value to the alliance in securing shipping routes during numerous manoeuvres. Russia has manoeuvred itself into a highly confrontational position and largely isolated itself internationally with its - by Western standards - value-disrespecting and aggressive actions towards Ukraine. For Russia's direct neighbours, Finland and Poland, but especially the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, this has created more than just a theoretical threat to their existence. Crisis and war scenarios of the Cold War that have long been a thing of the past...

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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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