German Navy: Chancellor visits

From a press release by the German government

On Monday, 5 June 2023, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid a visit to the German Navy in order to gain a comprehensive picture of the German Navy's range of capabilities. After a brief discussion with the Inspector of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, and the Commander of the Fleet and Support Forces, Vice Admiral Frank Lenski, at the Naval Command in Rostock-Warnemünde, he was taken by helicopter to the frigate "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern".

Federal Chancellor follows boarding exercise with the corvette "Oldenburg". Photo: Federal Government/Kuegeler

At sea, Scholz followed several exercises involving the submarine U33, the corvette "Oldenburg" and the minesweeper "Bad Bevensen". The French fleet tanker "Somme" and the Spanish frigate "Alvaro de Bazan" also took part. There was also a boarding team from the Portuguese navy on the corvette "Oldenburg". Eurofighter and Tornado aircraft from the German Air Force were also present.

On the side deck of the "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern" from left: FAdm Marx, BK, VAdm Kaack, FKpt Wißler. Photo: Federal Government/Kuegeler

On the frigate, the Chancellor was "very impressed by the performance, by the hard work we have seen here". The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine had changed the security situation in Europe and the entire world. "That is why it is important that we join forces everywhere within NATO, that we exercise together, that we prepare ourselves and also show that we are capable of defending the alliance and the member states, democracy and freedom," said Scholz.

"Chancellor's Ark". Photo:Federal Government/Kuegeler

German Navy leads NATO maritime organisation

At the beginning of the year, Germany took over the leadership of the NATO "Very High Readiness Joint Task Force" (NATO VJTF Maritime Group), NATO's rapid reaction force and thus the spearhead of the military alliance. The frigate "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern" is currently the flagship of the rapid reaction force. The first major Ukraine crisis in 2014 saw the deployment of the intervention force. Since then, it has been an important part of the deterrence strategy against Russia.

The frigate "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern" continues eastwards after the Federal Chancellor's visit. The annual naval manoeuvre "Baltops" will take place here over the next few days. The manoeuvre, which is led by the USA, involves 50 ships and boats with around 6,500 soldiers from a total of 19 NATO member states and Sweden. It is NATO's largest naval manoeuvre in the Baltic Sea.