On 7 January, the tender WERRA set course for the eastern Mediterranean to relieve the frigate BRANDENBURG as the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG 2). The seventy or so crew members had already been in the currently prescribed quarantine for days. And so the men and women had long since said goodbye to their families and friends on the day of departure. No infections with the coronavirus had previously been detected. However, to be on the safe side, everyone on board was tested again during a brief visit to Wilhelmshaven. The requirements are strict in order to prevent an outbreak of the virus on board during the mission.
Following the takeover of the BRANDENBURG, which is currently scheduled for 25 January, a twenty-strong staff under the command of Spanish Admiral Manuel Aguirre Aldereguia will embark on the tender. Due to the pandemic and the long period of absence, a team of dentists will ensure the well-being of the crew in addition to the regular medical care. The WERRA has plenty of space, with a total of one hundred berths available on board.
The main task of the supply ship will be to support the unit commander and his multinational staff. "The tender is the operations centre for the international NATO staff," explains Corvette Captain Robert Lehmann (39), Commander of the WERRA. Born in Berlin, he has been in command of the tender for over three years.
In the Aegean Sea, the SNMG 2 contributes to the fight against smuggling between the Turkish mainland and the Greek islands. For this reason, a Turkish and a Greek officer will be on board on Crete to accompany the operation. They each have their own means of communication to inform their organisations promptly about current developments in the sea area. The officer from the European border protection agency Frontex, who was also scheduled to be on board, will not go on board due to the pandemic, but will carry out his duties from the Rescue Coordination Centre in Piraeus, Greece. In addition to the BRANDENBURG and the Spanish frigate CRISTOBAL COLON, there are currently four Greek Navy patrol boats under the command of Admiral Aldereguia.
Corvette Captain Robert Lehmann
The WERRA had already been deployed to the Mediterranean for several months in 2019. Around half of the crew also took part in this deployment. Nevertheless, Commander Lehmann knows that he can rely on his men and women and that they are highly motivated for the journey. There is also the prospect of a bonus: "We all hope that the pandemic in Germany will be under control again when we return, as the ship is scheduled to enter the harbour during Kiel Week."
Text: mb
Photos: German Armed Forces
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