Category: Security policy

Fassmer builds OPV for Singapore

According to a press release issued by Singapore's Ministry of Defence on 20 November 2023, the city state is procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), which will be manufactured by German shipyard Fassmer. According to the announcement, the units are based on the design of the OPVs used by the German Federal Police. This suggests that they will be vehicles similar to the Potsdam class. The OPVs are to be delivered in stages from 2028. Until then, the existing Sentinel-class Maritime Security and Response Vessels (MSRV - as classified by Singapore) will remain in service. The Fassmer shipyard in Berne on the Weser opposite Bremen-Blumenthal has not yet delivered...

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Pipeline for Rügen liquefied natural gas terminal fully approved

The responsible mining authority in Stralsund has approved the second section and thus the entire 50 km long connection pipeline between the gas pipeline hub in Lubmin - east of the city of Greifswald - and Mukran in Sassnitz on the island of Rügen. The pipeline will transport the liquefied natural gas delivered by ship to Mukran, where it will be regasified on so-called "FSRUs", to the hub in Lubmin, from where it will be fed into the long-distance gas pipeline network. FSRU stands for Floating Storage and Regasification Unit. Two of these units are planned in Mukran: The "Neptune", which is currently still moored off Lubmin, and the "Transgas Power", which will be...

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China strengthens its presence in the polar regions

China is expanding its expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. According to the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources, the national polar observation and monitoring network is being continuously improved and the construction of the fifth Antarctic research station "Inexpressible Island" on the edge of the Ross Sea is being accelerated. In the meantime, the 40th Antarctic expedition is being prepared and the 13th mission in the Arctic Ocean has been completed. Read more about the 5th Antarctic research station in our article "Satellite photos: China on the advance in the Antarctic" from 15 May 2023. Read article The 39th scientific Antarctic expedition from October 2022 to April 2023 lasted 163 days. 255 researchers on two research icebreakers, Snow Dragon (Xue Long) and Snow Dragon 2,...

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Joint Warrior - NATO Maritime Exercise of the VJTF off Scotland

From a Bundeswehr press release: After a short port call in Glasgow, Task Group 441.01 - the maritime component of the Very High Readiness Task Force (VJTF) - set sail on 22 October to take part in the major exercise "Joint Warrior" off the north-west coast of Scotland until 31 October. Over 19 ships and more than 20 aircraft with a total of around 6,000 soldiers took part in the second round of this demanding naval exercise this year. In addition to the UK - which took the lead this time - units from the Netherlands, the USA, Denmark, Italy, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland and Canada took part....

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Update: Change of leadership at the US Navy now official

President Joe Biden had already nominated Franchetti for this position in July. In the USA, however, such appointments still have to be confirmed by the Senate. One of the senators, Republican Tommy Tuberville, has been blocking hundreds of military nominations for some time in protest against a Department of Defence regulation that allows female soldiers to be reimbursed for travel expenses in the event of an abortion. Unanimity is required for many formal procedures in the US Senate. Therefore, even a single member of the Senate can become a "show-stopper".
The confirmation now took place as a single vote on 2 November 2023, after the Republicans last week publicly broke with Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama), who has been blocking the 'en bloc appointments' of generals and admirals in the Senate for nine months.

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