Warnemünde - today, Tuesday, 30 January 2024, the corvette "Oldenburg" returned to her home base in Warnemünde after more than six months of deployment.
The Class 130 ship left its home port 170 days ago with its crew under the command of Corvette Captain Markus Schwefer (38) to take part in the mandated foreign mission UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) off the Lebanese coast and as flagship in the NATO support mission in the Aegean.
In his final review, the commander summarised with satisfaction. He looked back on a long, intensive and varied time in the various operational areas in the Mediterranean, each with their own different challenges. In particular, the conflict between Hamas and Israel was a demanding task for his unit off the coast of Lebanon from October 2023. Despite the different tasks and challenges, he was always able to rely on his crew with their high level of training and strong fighting spirit. He is proud to have been able to lead this crew on deployment.
The commander of the 1st Corvette Squadron, Frigate Captain Marc T. Tippner (42), emphasised in his welcoming speech that he was pleased that the "Oldenburg" had returned safely. The developments in the Middle East show that demanding and high-quality operational training is right and important so that our units can fulfil their mission effectively even in the event of an escalation. He said he was proud of the crew of the "Oldenburg", who had reacted flexibly to the various challenges and demonstrated their staying power. The commander also thanked the family members for their support and the sacrifice they had made during the long absence.
The corvette "Oldenburg" and her crew are now going to spend a lot of time with family and friends as they were unable to spend Christmas and New Year together. The crew will then accompany the ship during a repair phase.
Background information
Blue helmets from the UNIFIL mission have been working for peace between Lebanon and Israel since 1978. This makes the mission one of the oldest peacekeeping operations of the United Nations.
The initial task was to monitor the desired ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli security forces from Lebanon. After the second Lebanon war in 2006, the mandate was extended. Since then, UNIFIL has supported the Lebanese government in securing the maritime borders and preventing the smuggling of weapons into Lebanon by sea. The UNIFIL maritime task force was the first naval organisation under the leadership of the United Nations - German ships and boats have been operating in this organisation from the outset, thus contributing to stability and security in the region. The Lebanese Navy has also received valuable equipment from Germany, including guard boats and coastal radar stations. German soldiers have also been involved in training the Lebanese Navy for several years.
Source: PIZ Marine
English 
German
0 Kommentare