The job took several weeks: wreckage from a US B-17 bomber from the Second World War had to be examined and its safety determined. Amprion Offshore GmbH commissioned Rheinmetall Project Solutions GmbH, a subsidiary of the Düsseldorf-based technology group, to carry out the work. The contract value is in the single-digit million range.

The wreck was discovered in the summer of 2025 near the offshore grid connection system „DolWin4“ - a central project of the German energy transition. Due to the location of the discovery, around 260 metres from the platform, an explosive ordnance investigation was required. Rheinmetall took over the complete planning, coordination and execution of the work.

Firstly, the position and extent of the wreck was mapped using an electromagnetometer, after which it was flushed free in sections. The overlying layer of sand, sediment and silt was around 1.5 metres thick. The project was supported by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), a specialised agency of the US Department of Defense. This enabled the bomb chamber of the B-17 wreckage to be located quickly and examined via open hatches. This confirmed that there was no more ammunition on board.

On this basis, Amprion was able to clear the area around the site for further construction and project work without having to fear delays in the process. The results of the investigation are therefore an essential prerequisite for the construction of the offshore converter platform. According to current planning, the grid connection systems are scheduled to go into operation in 2028.

Source/Photo: Rheinmetall