German Navy: First woman takes over combat unit in Kiel

From a press release by the Rostock Naval Command:

On Wednesday, 27 March 2024 at 1 p.m., the commander of Operational Flotilla 1, Flotilla Admiral Helge Sascha Rackwitz (51), will hand over command of the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron from Frigate Captain Carsten Schlüter (43) to Frigate Captain Inka von Puttkamer (41) at Kiel-Wik Naval Base.

Frigate Captain Carsten Schlüter, Commander 3rd Minesweeper Squadron. Photo: German Navy

For Frigate Captain Schlüter, an 18-month period as commander is coming to an end, which was characterised by the change of strategy in the Baltic Sea to a NATO inland sea and NATO enlargement with Finland and Sweden. But he also initiated internal changes and innovations, which characterised his time in the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron. The key points here are "living on board" and the "four-day week" for the seagoing units of his unit.

"The theme of the turning point and the return to the primacy of national and alliance defence were clearly the defining elements of my time as commander. We have continued to develop our core expertise in naval mine warfare and have continuously deployed combat-ready units to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force Marine (VJTF M) and other missions. (...) The squadron has pulled together in a constructive, committed and passionate manner. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the servicewomen and men in my unit and everyone who worked with us to fulfil our mission," said the outgoing commander. Frigate Captain Schlüter is moving to the naval command in Rostock as Adjutant to the Chief of Naval Operations.

Coming from the NATO Allied Maritime Command in Northwood (GBR), a good acquaintance is returning to the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron and will be the first woman to lead a combat unit of the German Navy. Frigate Captain Inka von Puttkamer is returning to the Kiel Fjord. There she was already commander of the minehunter "Homburg" and deputy commander of the 3rd Minehunting Squadron.

"I am very pleased to be returning to familiar waters. For me, the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron is just as much a military home as the view of the Laboe Naval Memorial when heading into the Bay of Kiel. Being allowed to lead a squadron (...) has become incredibly explosive, especially in recent years, particularly with regard to our home Baltic Sea. (...) In addition to fulfilling our mission in national and alliance defence, the continuation of our Baltic Sea cooperation is particularly important to me for the coming years."

Background information

Frigate Captain von Puttkamer:

That family, career and the Bundeswehr go hand in hand The example of the von Puttkamer couple is a good example of this. Frigate Captain Inka von Puttkamer is the first woman to take command of a German Navy combat unit with the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron, while her husband will take command of a German Navy frigate in Wilhelmshaven in the coming weeks.

"Sulzbach-Rosenberg", minehunting boat class 332, photo: Michael Nitz

3rd minesweeper squadron:

The 3rd minehunting squadron is made up of the ten Frankenthal-class minehunting boats. This type of boat combines all the capabilities of the navy for so-called linked sea mine defence: targeted mine hunting and mine diving as well as large-scale mine sweeping.

The squadron makes its boats available on an ongoing basis for national and international manoeuvres, deployments and task forces. As a rule, two of the squadron's boats are always involved in the two large permanent NATO mine defence units in the Mediterranean and North-East Atlantic.

The minehunting boats have several options for searching for and eliminating underwater dangers. Either they control cable-guided underwater drones that can identify and destroy mines. They can deploy the sea battalion's mine divers, who can disable explosive devices in hard-to-reach places such as harbours or beaches. Or they control the Seal-class surface drones, which simulate the engine noise and magnetic field of ships to detonate ground mines. Each of these abilities, or a skilful combination of them depending on the situation, has one goal: to create safe passage routes for other ships and boats.

In addition to the Frankenthal class, the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron also operates two Ensdorf class mine defence boats. Not up to the modern standard of the other boats, this reserve of the squadron serves as a training and advertising platform.