Category: Magazine

Emphasising secondary tasks

The Bundeswehr has ended its participation in Operation Atalanta. What has been achieved, learnt and changed? At the end of 30 April, after around 14 years, German military participation in the European Union's first maritime operation came to an end: the European Union Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta. On the basis of a United Nations Security Council resolution and a decision by the Council of the European Union, the German Bundestag approved German military participation in Atalanta on 19 December 2008, and only three days later a warship, the frigate Karlsruhe, took part. The rapid increase in the number of pirate attacks in a very short space of time...

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Saab Germany opens location in Wilhelmshaven  

Saab opened its branch on the Jade, or rather the Ems-Jade Canal, with a ceremony in the new premises on Bunsenstrasse. In future, all maritime projects in Germany will be managed from here. For years, Saab has propagated the idea of operating abroad in strategic co-operation with domestic companies and is also implementing this here. It is about the future of high-tech products such as sensors, weapons and combat boats. This also means an increase in the number of employees, currently 350 throughout Germany. In Wilhelmshaven there will initially be four, and later 30 employees. The Lord Mayor of Wilhelmshaven, Carsten Feist, who was present at the ceremony, was...

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Back to the roots

After numerous purely land-based operations, the British Royal Marines have been undergoing a far-reaching reform process for several years, which is intended to return the force to its maritime roots. "Per mare, per terram" - under this motto, Great Britain has maintained the Royal Marines since 1664 under the umbrella of the Royal Navy, a specialised infantry unit for amphibious operations, the protection of its own naval forces and maritime infrastructure on land, as well as boarding missions, evacuation operations and commando operations of all kinds. Although the Royal Marines have been involved in almost all of Britain's military operations since the Second World War, they are a relatively small, elite force with high standards, distinctive traditions and a strong sense of leadership....

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Old wine in new bottles: faster procurement?

In May 2022, it became known that the Ministry of Defence was working on a draft law to accelerate procurement measures of the German Armed Forces - "in short" the Bundeswehr Procurement Acceleration Act (BwBBG) - and, as the smooth name suggests, the law is intended to "apply facilitations under public procurement law to accelerate the awarding of public contracts", according to a formulation aid from the Federal Government. Observers of the scene quickly recognised that the demands formulated in the draft law essentially provide for the implementation of existing and long-known options - particularly with regard to the public procurement chamber and exemptions from the Competition Act. The Federal Association of the German Security and Defence Industry rightly asked why the "planned increased...

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The world's leading maritime trade fair SMM is back

Innovations for climate protection and increased efficiency took centre stage at this year's SMM. Nevertheless, the industry is facing difficult times. After a four-year break (not only) due to the coronavirus pandemic, the global shipbuilding industry met in Hamburg at the beginning of September for its 30th world-leading trade fair for the maritime industry. The SMM (Shipbuilding, Machinery & Marine Technology International Trade Fair) was held under the motto "Driving the Maritime Transition". The focus was therefore on the maritime energy transition, digital transformation and climate change. Among the 2,000 exhibitors from 100 countries, around 800 companies from Germany alone were represented. The patron of the trade fair was Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who in his per...

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