Hamburg into the Red Sea

The frigate "Hamburg" left Wilhelmshaven this morning to join Operation EUNAVFOR Aspides in the Red Sea.

Today, Rear Admiral Stephan Haisch, Commander of the Task Forces and Head of the Operations Department, bid farewell to the frigate "Hamburg". The ship is travelling to the Mediterranean to the Greek island of Crete. There, the ship and crew will prepare for the intended deployment in the Red Sea with a missile firing programme.

Previously, her sister ship of class 124, the "Hessen", had successfully participated in the operation in the Red Sea (we reported The "Hessen" is back home). When leaving Wilhelmshaven, representatives of the press were not wanted by the crew of the "Hamburg". This may have been due to the fact that the reporting on the completed deployment of the "Hessen" did not always display the degree of seriousness that one would have wished for in well-researched and informative reports. For example, the claim that the "Hessen" was not equipped with sufficient ammunition caused a considerable stir.

German frigate "Hamburg" of the Sachsen class (F 124). Photo: Michael Nitz

The lurid reporting caused concern among the relatives at home, but the "Hessen" was not at all a defenceless frigate, which was "unfounded on the factual level" according to Volker Kübsch, the commander of the "Hessen". "It's just that we can't always simply communicate our knowledge back home because it usually involves classified content that is worthy of protection," he told the marine forum in the interview. And we now know that there was enough ammunition - and we also know that it was properly reloaded, as well as that the "Hamburg" will now also be full to the brim. Anything else would not be "gold standard", as the inspector of the navy, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, emphasised several times when the "Hessen" was deployed.

And now again: On Sunday, the NDR wrote of a "suicide mission" that the "Hamburg" had received. This is also repeated on NDR Info on Monday morning! This was reported by an experienced crew member. According to the interpretation of the two journalists, there was no radar to ward off enemy missiles. So if it's not the ammunition, it must be something else in order to accuse the entire chain of command, right up to the minister, of endangering the lives of men and women in the Bundeswehr without any sense of responsibility. And this is exactly what frigate captain Marco Thiele, representative of the navy in the German Armed Forces Association, says: "Nobody would send the crew on a mission for which they are not responsible". The commander of the "Hamburg", frigate captain Andreas Schmidt, has sent a personal letter to all relatives thanking them for their patience, strength and support. He also emphasised that the crew was "well equipped and excellently trained".

And what is the truth of this claim? The "Hamburg" has the same sensor technology as the "Hesse", is just as well prepared and trained, and also benefits from the experience of its predecessor. Analyses were carried out in a very short time, heads were put together and results exchanged. Anything else would have been negligent. If the conclusion had been that the operation could not be carried out again, the "Hamburg" would still be in Wilhelmshaven. And what is the problem now? Marco Thiele explains: "The frigate "Hamburg" cannot fend off fast and steeply approaching anti-ship missiles, known as anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), on its own." We know that in 2017/18 the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg) did not carry out a so-called obsolescence elimination for cost reasons. According to Thiele, "(...) this was a mistake". You can read about what this measure would have meant in marineforum 12-2019.

All this does not mean that the frigate "Hamburg" is defenceless, as it sails in association with other warships, just as the "Hessen" did at the beginning of the year. They benefit from each other's sensors and weapons. The "Hamburg" also has high qualities with its long-range Smart-L radar, because it is not without reason that ships of class 124 sail in US carrier formations as welcome high-value frigates. Although this mission is also about ASBM defence, it is primarily drones that are causing concerns for shipping and warships in the Red Sea. However, it is also true that the Sachsen-class ships (F 124) have now been in service for 20 years. But even well-maintained German ships need attention from time to time, and that doesn't come for free!

There was no word on the timing and planning of the arrival in the Red Sea. The missile firing is in preparation for the operation. Several EU units are currently there. The unit consists of the Greek frigate F 454 "Psara", type Meko 200 of the Hydra class, the Italian frigate F 591 "Virginio Fasan" of the Carlo Bergamini class and the French frigate D 620 "Forbin" of the Horizon class. The ships are commanded by Commodore George Pastoor of the Royal Dutch Navy, which has provided the multi-purpose ship A 833 "Karel Doorman" for this purpose.

Marineforum will follow the operation and, if necessary, criticise exaggerated headlines. Firstly, because the matter is too serious, and secondly out of consideration for the crew and their families. If something is bad, we will call it by its name, but not in the way that Katharina Seiler and Christina Gerlach did. And if there is something that does not concern outsiders, especially not the Houthi militias, we will keep a low profile. That is why the ministry's silence on operational and technical details should not be seen as stonewalling, but simply as responsible and situation-orientated information. The mission is dangerous, it takes courage, it takes skill and the highest standards. And it especially needs our respect.

The editorial team wishes you a successful mission and a safe return home!

Text: Stephenson / Schlüter