Category: Security policy

Will Putin win?

Will Putin win?

Posted by | 27 Apr 2021 | , | 0

The imminent completion of Nord Stream 2 will strengthen Russia Hans Jürgen Witthöft The discussions surrounding the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline have now taken on dimensions that have absolutely nothing to do with its officially communicated objective. Nord Stream 2 is a pipeline that runs parallel to the Nord Stream pipeline, which went into operation in 2011, from Vyborg in Russia under the Baltic Sea to Lubmin in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Both pipelines are designed for throughputs of 55 billion cubic metres each. Nord Stream 1 was politically controversial from the outset. The reason for this was that it was a "deal" between Russian President Vladimir...

Read More
Charting a new course together

Charting a new course together

Posted by | 27 Apr 2021 | , , , | 0

European cooperation has proven its worth in many areas of the defence industry. Can German-Dutch cooperation become the nucleus for European naval shipbuilding? Christian Freiherr von Oldershausen and Marcel Hendriks Last summer, the Federal Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Damen Schelde Naval Shipyards and Thales for the construction of four frigates 126, the former multi-purpose combat ship 180 (MKS 180). The fact that the new naval combat ship, which was put out to tender across Europe, is to be built by Blohm+Voss in Hamburg under Dutch leadership, caused a great deal of controversy in politics and industry. Understandably so, because in addition to a possible wound to national pride, there were concerns that...

Read More
War in the shadows

War in the shadows

Posted by | 13 Apr 2021 | , , | 1

Mine warfare in the North Sea began with a modest operation in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. The approach to Wilhelmshaven was secured by mine barriers to prevent French forces from entering, as a French squadron had previously briefly flown the flag at Helgoland. These barriers were then intensively guarded by the existing coastal defence units, but not a single French ship came anywhere near the restricted areas during the war. After the war, the development of mines, at that time still combined with torpedoes, was further promoted, but without producing any spectacular activities. The first real naval mine, the C 77 model, was put into service in 1877. It was...

Read More
The 75-year-old danger

The 75-year-old danger

Posted by | 12 Apr 2021 | , , | 1

Since the end of the Second World War, millions of tonnes of contaminated waste have been stored in German waters. Their removal is still the subject of controversial debate between the federal and state governments. In the twelve-mile zone of the North Sea and Baltic Sea and in the seaward Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), there are around 1.6 million tonnes of contaminated munitions, including over 5,000 tonnes of gas munitions. The nautical charts show 15 dumping areas, labelled as "unclean munitions" or "anchoring and fishing prohibited". There are also positions with scattered munitions. The inventory has not yet been finalised. Since 2011, the Federal/State Working Group on the North Sea and Baltic Sea (Blano) has published the annually updated report "Munitions contamination of German marine waters". Unfortunately, the...

Read More
What is the Bundeswehr doing in Africa?

What is the Bundeswehr doing in Africa?

Posted by | 23 Mar 2021 | , , | 2

Wolfram Lacher recently published an SWP study entitled "Unser schwieriger Partner - Deutschlands und Frankreichs erfolgloses Engagement in Libyen und Mali" (https://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/studien/2021S03_deutschland_frankreich_libyen_mali.pdf). What makes the paper so worth reading from a German perspective is not so much the knowledgeable detailed analysis of German and French Africa policy. Rather, it is the ruthlessness with which the author reveals the differences between the two countries and the fundamental German deficits in operational security policy. It is worth reflecting on this on the basis of Lacher's study.France has tried to separate itself from colonial concepts in recent decades, but has repeatedly reverted to the ideas of the Françafrique. It...

Read More
en_GBEnglish
de_DEGerman en_GBEnglish