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Safe and free sea routes worldwide as well as in domestic waters were the Navy ‘s motto for 2024. The German naval forces can look back on an intensive twelve months. Strengthening defense capabilities and contributing to international crisis management at the same time is a major challenge.
Unhindered shipping is not only the basis of prosperity for the trading nation of Germany , but is of fundamental strategic interest for all countries. The rivalry for the right political system and for power and influence is leading to growing geopolitical tensions, which are also putting pressure on maritime security and leading to instability in various sea areas.
A guiding principle of the Navy ‘s engagement in various regions of the world is therefore to promote the rules-based international order and multinational cooperation, as this is the best protection for maritime trade routes.
But the attacks by the Yemeni Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea since the end of 2023 have shown that even crisis management missions can require naval forces to have a range of skills that they would also need in a major interstate conflict.
The Houthis’ military weapons actually come from the arsenals of their state backers. They no longer use just assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades like pirates, but also ballistic anti-ship missiles and anti-ship guided missiles as well as aerial, surface and underwater drones. In addition, in possible crises and conflicts worldwide, there are potentially disruptive technologies that shape the battlefields of today and very likely of tomorrow too.
In practical terms, this means for the German Navy: It really must be able to prevail in complex, multi-dimensional operations – including intensive naval combat – at any time. This is the only way it can be prepared for all types of crisis operations. And at the same time, NATO ‘s expectations are increasing North Atlantic Treaty Organization to its members in the face of threats, especially from Russia.
A look at the Navy ’s current missions shows where just some of the world’s maritime dangers lie :
- participation in two of the four permanent maritime NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization-Associations in the North and Baltic Seas,
- NATO ‘s counterterrorism operation Sea Guardian North Atlantic Treaty Organization throughout the Mediterranean,
- the protection of sea routes through the EUNAVFOR mission European Union Naval Force Aspides in the Red Sea,
- the arms embargo mission UNIFIL United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon off the coast of Lebanon and in the country itself,
- the arms embargo mission EUNAVFOR European Union Naval Force Irini in the central Mediterranean and
- NATO, which is aimed at combating human trafficking North Atlantic Treaty Organization activity in the Aegean Sea.
In addition, the Navy continues to be involved in the training of Ukrainian armed forces.
In addition to these current operations, there are maritime threats from the effects of the war in Ukraine in the Black Sea as well as growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific. These and other conflict areas around the world are increasingly influencing and reinforcing each other. The “boundless friendship” between China and Russia, as both countries themselves call it, plays a role here, as does the military support for Russia from Iran and North Korea.