Flagship "Grömitz" back from the Aegean

Low numbers and availability of units necessitates the use of minehunting boats as command and control platforms.

From a press release by the Rostock Naval Command:

On Thursday, 4 July 2024 at 10 a.m., the minesweeper "Grömitz", which belongs to the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron, will return to its home port of Kiel from a six-month deployment in the NATO Aegean Support Mission. Over the past six months, the Kiel-based boat has been the command platform and the German contribution to NATO's Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and the NATO Aegean Support Mission. The task of the "Grömitz" was to provide the situational awareness required to control the Aegean Sea in order to prevent illegal refugee flows. On land, the national authorities are taking action against smugglers and their networks. The highest number of refugees was reported in 2015: 850,000 people at the time; today, according to Frontex, there are still around 20,000 people trying to enter the EU illegally via the Aegean.

With a total of 43 soldiers, the "Grömitz" was the first boat of its class to be deployed as a flagship and command ship in this mission. The task in the Aegean has now been taken over by the "Pegnitz", which sailed from Kiel on 17 June and will continue to make its contribution as a command platform until the end of the year. It is unusual for a minesweeper to take on the task that was otherwise performed by larger units such as task force supply ships, tenders and frigates. It shows how tight the availability of naval units is.