Sharp shooting

The German Navy can look back on a successful missile shoot-out. Between 3 and 12 May, the crew of the frigate Hamburg During the Missile Firing Exercise 2021 off the Norwegian coast, 20 successful shots were fired with guided missiles. Drones were used as targets to test the air defence systems and weapon systems and to give the crew the opportunity to train the procedures under realistic conditions. Other missiles were used against simulated sea targets. The fact that the Type 124 frigate also has an artillery component was demonstrated by the soldiers with 150 shots from the 76-millimetre on-board cannon.
Accompanied by the Hamburg during the Andøya exercise by the tender Main. In a dual function, it served not only to supply the frigate, but also as a telemetry carrier. For this task, it collected measurement data from the individual FK shots. The crew of the tender was also allowed to fire around 100 rounds from the light naval gun against land targets.

Shot from the Hamburg's 76-millimetre cannon

In addition to missile firing, the frigate also trained Hamburg Naval Gunfire Support with the artillery observers of the German Army. This training for joint fire support is taking place for the second time at Andøya. Working well together, army soldiers and soldiers from the naval battalion were able to direct the fire of the shipboard guns from safe observation positions. Frigate Captain Florian Feld, who was deployed as Commander Task Group, gave a positive summary: "Even though this year, due to the pandemic, we had to accept major restrictions in terms of physical cooperation with our NATO partner Norway as well as in the availability of our ships and the exchange between the units involved, the results of the tests and performance tests of the weapon systems were still great."

Text: mb; Photos: Bundeswehr/Volker Muth