He explained: "The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has continued with unchanged intensity since February last year, clearly demonstrates not only the vulnerability of our globally networked world economy, but also has a lasting impact on the global flow of goods.

Turning to the global security policy challenges, he explained:
"With the 2023 plan, I have reaffirmed the path we have taken to consistently align the German Navy with the requirements of national and alliance defence. With our 'Course Navy 2035+', we will comprehensively change course and venture a vigorous entry into unmanned systems and artificial intelligence. Our vision is a powerful, resilient, demographically resilient and therefore future-proof navy that will stand by our allies as a reliable ally, assert itself in multidimensional operations and continue to be available as a flexible instrument of German foreign and security policy."

It is now important to stay on course for "Navy 2035+". However, the participants at the Maritime Convention were well aware that the navy behind this can no longer rely on the long-awaited planning security in view of the current budget situation and its possible effects.

Interested readers should not only read the first part with the chapter "German Navy". It contains statements on the +Navy 2035+ course. Statements on the future navy can also be found later in the book. For example in the chapter "German shipbuilding". The important naval projects are mentioned there. These include current and future frigates, submarines and other units of the fleet.

Download Naval Command Annual Report 2023

Der Beitrag Lektüre-Empfehlung: Jahresbericht des Marinekommandos erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

Trent Hone, who already caused a stir with his book "Learning War. The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the U.S. Navy, 1898-1945" caused a sensation, has topped this with this book about Admiral Nimitz. Here it becomes clear why Nimitz, with his strategic thinking, his willingness to take risks in the fight against the Imperial Japanese fleet after their attack on Pearl Harbor, his fundamental understanding of the importance of logistics, his targeted selection of personnel for battle groups based on his experience as a personnel leader in the 1930s, his direct exchange of experience between battle groups on tactics used against the Imperial Navy and ultimately his political intuition, was able to quickly turn the tide against Japan, seize the initiative and retain it until the end of the war.

Hone describes in detail how Nimitz was able to win naval battles such as Midway, Guadalcanal, the Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Ultimately, this was only possible due to his leadership behaviour, his use of modern management theories and command by order, which gave the fleet commanders and their staffs sufficient freedom to make decisions on the ground.

Tactical, operational and strategic thinking were combined in Nimitz like hardly any other leader of naval forces. This was complemented by an understanding of new weapon systems (aircraft carriers, battleships with radar, submarines) and their targeted use on different sections of the front with the increase in performance through the use of new technologies such as radar, sonar or even ammunition with proximity fuses in the air defence of Japanese aircraft.

In a summary, Hone recalls a thesis paper by Nimitz from his time at the Naval War College in 1923, in which Nimitz developed four unchanging principles for a naval war: "Employing the utmost energy, concentrate superior strength at the decisive point, avoid loss of time, follow up every advantage." These principles can be followed throughout the entire Pacific War. Constant reorientation and the development and implementation of options are part of Nimitz's thoughts and actions. Hone illustrates this with terms such as "Collaborative Sensemaking, Decentralised Execution, Organizational Unfolding, Continual Reorientation, Relentless Pursuit of Options and Strategic Artistry".

Heinz Dieter Jopp

Der Beitrag Buchtipp: Mastering the Art of Command erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

Naval technology of the Second World War

Development - Use - Consequences

Hans Karr, a long-standing expert on naval vessels, author of countless specialist articles and freelance contributor to Marineforum, is publishing his latest work after a long break.

Before and during the Second World War, naval technology underwent perhaps its most fundamental change: proud battleships such as the Bismarck or the Yamato were soon only suitable as museum pieces following the emergence of aircraft carriers. Many developments, such as the large-scale deployment of submarines, were based on experience gained during the First World War. Naval expert and successful author Hans Karr traces the important developments in weapons technology up to the end of the Second World War. Beginning with the submarines and surface forces, Karr explains the fundamental changes in the significance of their armament both above and below the water.

ISBN: 978-3-613-04516-3

256 pages, 250 pictures

230mm x 265mm

Price: 34.90 €

Der Beitrag Buchtipp: Marinetechnik des zweiten Weltkriegs erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

The current maritime discussion about future technologies, platforms and strategies is characterised by questions of effectiveness against equivalent opponents and their new weapon systems. Here, the innovative approach of the two authors O'Hara and Heinz could help to analyse this problem more promisingly in future. Both analyse six key technologies of naval warfare from the Russo-Japanese War, the First and Second World Wars, such as new platforms (submarines and aircraft), new weapons (torpedoes and mines) and new tools (radar and radio). They compare their early or late deployment in the major navies of the time. Since the main task of every navy is to win wars, technologies are measured by whether and to what extent they can improve this task. The eternal struggle of the armed forces for limited budgetary resources is also considered. When analysing the torpedo, for example, the authors come to the conclusion that it could only achieve its maximum effect when combined with the best platform - the submarine - and its best target - the merchant ship.

New technologies influence tactics (see Jellicoe off Jutland), change operations (see von Spee in the Pacific), or even strategies (Japan's carrier attack on Pearl Harbour). However, their use also promotes the development of countermeasures. The process of change is ongoing, it does not end with the introduction of the technology on weapon platforms. Navies must therefore be open to possible changes and adaptations of new technologies. However, this also includes a willingness to abandon outdated methods and approaches.

In what context are navies looking for new technologies? Modern developments such as the F 35 are very complex, expensive and can only be brought to market by financially strong navies. In comparison, artificial intelligence and drones do not require huge development and production facilities, are inexpensive and have been quite successful in recent military conflicts. Navies are therefore well advised to observe and analyse all these developments on a global basis and make decisions for their own needs. In view of new potential threats from a combination of platforms, long-range missiles and cruise missiles, killer drones and similar developments, these can only be successfully countered through networking, similar tactics and operational considerations.

This book provides enough food for thought or even rethinking.

Heinz Dieter Jopp / August 2022

Der Beitrag Buchtipp – Innovating Victory erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

In German-speaking countries, there are individual analyses of the history of the Arctic, the possible challenges of climate change with the melting of the ice cap at the pole and on Greenland, the possible future use of the Arctic Ocean for shorter sea transport routes from Europe to Asia, the possible extraction of oil and gas from the depths of the sea and the legal dispute over the extent of national waters and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). However, no author has yet attempted to link these individual aspects together and, above all, to assess the growing conflict between the neighbouring states of Russia and the USA with the interests of the People's Republic of China in their contradictions.

In his introductory chapter "The Arctic", Paul already combines security policy considerations on history, economics, ecology, geophysics, geopolitics, maritime significance, great power interests versus the interests of the neighbouring countries, the curse and blessing of tourism, the protection of people and wildlife, and the question "What interests Germany in the Arctic?"

In the following chapter, he meticulously analyses the players and their ambitions, starting with the Arctic Council. This is followed by observations on cooperation and competition between the Arctic states and the special interests of the indigenous peoples. This is followed by assessments of the observer states in the Arctic Council, such as the "Middle Arctic state" China, the Asian and European observer states and the special case of the European Union.

In his concluding chapter "Prospects: A new Cold War?" he briefly describes the Arctic security dilemma and advocates conflict prevention through dialogue and cooperation.

An additional strength of the book is the selected bibliography included by the author and his numerous endnotes.

Taken together, this represents the author's outstanding achievement in presenting an extremely complex topic. It is still not in the headlines, so that those responsible in politics, business, science and ecology have enough time for a thorough reading and subsequent discussion of the subject. The fact that the effects of climate change can become a danger to people and the environment more quickly than many politicians hope should be a reminder that we need to think in and for the future. And this thinking must be global and comprehensive. For our own country, this means finally thinking geopolitically.

Jopp

Der Beitrag Der Kampf um den Nordpol erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

It's a little surprising that it took until 2021 to publish the first biography of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee Jr. who played a key role in the U.S. Navy's Pacific campaign during World War II. Although strongly promoted by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, only a few sentences about Admiral Lee's work can be found in the work "Seemacht, Eine Seekriegsgeschichte von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart" published by Elmar B. Potter and Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the German version of which was edited by Jürgen Rohwer. The book by Trent Hone, published by the USNI in 2018 with the telling title "Learning War. The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the U.S. Navy, 1898 - 1945".

Paul Stillwell refines the knowledge of Lee through research, over 150 interviews with contemporary witnesses and companions as well as analyses of battles and engagements in the Pacific War. A major influence on Lee's tactical and strategic thinking was his participation in the Naval War College Senior Course of 1928-29, when the battleship was still considered the backbone of the Navy and carriers were evolving from protecting battleships to independent operations. A new addition to the curriculum was the inclusion of war games under rapid decision-making pressure. Lee proved to be a master in this area as well as in his keen sense for technological innovations and their introduction on the Navy's ships. Years of service aboard cruisers followed before he was transferred to the Fleet Training Division in Washington in 1939. Over the next three years, he not only developed new tactical principles for surface warfare, based on the Royal Navy's experience in its war against Hitler's Germany, he also became an ardent advocate of the use of fire control radars on board ships because he had recognised their superiority over optical methods in night operations. In 1940, he also became a member of the newly founded Anti Aircraft Defence Board.

Thus prepared, Lee's deployment on battleship groups began in mid-1942. He received his baptism of fire in the night battle (Guadalcanal II) from 14 to 15 November 1942. Aggressiveness and superior use of his fire control radar led to victory and were seen as the beginning of the offensive by American forces against Japan (Nimitz). Lee was now to remain on permanent frontline duty in the Pacific for three years. He introduced an operations centre on board the warships to ensure a common picture of the situation. In addition to island hopping in the Pacific, he was then involved in the development of proximity fuses for anti-aircraft defence, but preferred the 20mm and 40mm anti-aircraft guns for the Navy's ships, which were successful in Europe. At the end of his career, he was commissioned to carry out an investigation into how to better combat kamikaze aircraft, but this was no longer pursued due to the end of the war.

Heinz Dieter Jopp, Barmstedt, in April 2022

Der Beitrag Battleship Commander erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

Although it is actually about the development of a new platform with new technologies for large-scale maritime reconnaissance, Snowden and Wood's book reads like a detective story. On the one side are a handful of visionary naval officers with their counterparts from the defence industry, on the other side are the bureaucratic obstructionists from the Pentagon and competitors in the defence industry. Some of this resistance has already been described in P.W. Singer's book "Wired for War. The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century".

The reader is immersed in the often opaque ways of military procurement for outsiders, in particular those for the U.S. Navy's Broad Area Maritime Survaillance (BAMS) programme, which is designed to provide global reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence to detect, track, classify and identify maritime targets. As a system not required by the Navy, but urgently needed, and based on the U.S. Air Force's Global Hawk unmanned platform, after decades of bureaucratic battles, the addition of the Triton unmanned aerial platform now provides airborne systems such as the Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) P-8 Poseidon with a system that enables long-duration control of large sea areas and allows MPA crews to directly track and potentially engage enemy surface and submarine platforms.

The reader witnesses the definition phase of a new type of unmanned weapon system, the definition of possible deployment scenarios as well as the final acceptance by the Pentagon's procurement department and the U.S. Navy; a truly incredible story.

In Germany, reading this book can provide intellectual support in the well-known struggle against bureaucratic obstacles and mental inertia. There is a lot to learn here.

Heinz Dieter Jopp Barmstedt, February 2022

Der Beitrag Unbemannte Seeraumüberwachung durch Triton erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

In the mid-1980s, the publication of Tom Clancy's "The Hunt for Red October" and "Red Storm Rising" introduced a new genre to the literary world: The influence of new technologies on military operations and their impact on political decisions. The next step was taken with the books by Peter W. Singer and in particular his book with August Cole "Ghost Fleet. A Novel of the next World War" in 2015, which shows the possible course of future military operations based on technological developments and their consistent implementation in weapon systems. Politicians and their actors are portrayed as being driven rather than acting with foresight.

2021 sees the publication of another book with a narrative thread about new technologies and their use against a hitherto overpowering state, the USA and its navy. Written by Elliot Ackermann, former U.S. Marine and member of the White House staff, and Admiral (ret) James Stavridis, former SACEUR and perennial Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tuft University in the USA, the book describes the decision-making processes in the centres of power of the USA and China in their respective perceptions and misperceptions. The South China Sea and a Freedom of Navigation Patrol of three U.S. Navy destroyers, which the American commander clearly described as a provocation (p. 2), triggered a chain of naval operations that led to rapid escalation and even the use of tactical nuclear weapons by both superpowers. Other regions and their actors follow like wildfire. The elimination of satellites, 5th generation aircraft (F 35) and modern weapons systems through cyber warfare, the disruption of undersea cables and the elimination of political command and control systems on a global scale are listed as examples without taking away the reader's suspense.

Both authors very consciously put their finger on the belief in technology and thus in the superiority of the military, political advisors and acting heads of state. Military simulation games with the background of studies by large consultancy organisations form the basis of their narrative. The unfortunate influence of hardliners in political decision-making bodies gains additional weight through the real experiences of the recent past. The imaginary extrapolation to the year 2034 becomes very credible, the familiar strategy of escalation dominance all the more questionable. The supposed compulsion to save face and "win" an incipient nuclear conflict should make us all realise that in today's world we need other criteria for political dealings with other states than the sole use of the "military hammer".

This book can therefore be recommended reading for all those involved in such decision-making processes. Dealing with China in the future in particular will require a variety of instruments to limit its desire for power. The surprising outcome of this book's narrative should restore a little faith in diplomacy and de-escalation.

Heinz Dieter Jopp Barmstedt, in April 2021

Der Beitrag 2034 - Ein möglicher nächster Weltkrieg erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

With this book, Admiral Stavridis remains true to his love: the sea and books about it. He has selected 50 books from the large number and variety of books available, which he describes in four main categories, each in short summaries of three to four pages: Seas, explorers, seafarers in novels, seafarers in non-fiction. The sailor will find well-known, but also unknown works; the landlubber receives a kind of navigation aid through literature with a maritime flavour. They are guided through history, learn about great sea battles over the centuries, about bold explorers, the power of the sea in storms, the struggle for survival of individuals and entire crews of ships.

There is Potter and Nimitz's book Sea Power, the search for the North-West Passage, an account of Captain Cook, the story of Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki, a tale of Shackelton's Antarctic expedition, Jules Verne's 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea, Melville's Moby Dick, the Mutiny on the Bounty, Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, through to Admiral Woodward's memoirs about the hundred days of the Falklands conflict, but also Mahan's influence of sea power on history. In addition to these classics, which are also familiar to German readers, there are also lesser-known authors and their works, which are well worth reading.

In an epilogue to this book, Commander Kristenson of the U.S. Navy summarises the messages of the fifty books selected by Stavridis in their significance as a possible guide based on the rank structures of merchant ships: Able Seaman, Mate and Master.

For the able-bodied sailor, he recommends starting with Moby Dick, Longitude, Shakelton's Endurance and The Perfect Storm. This gives him a feel for the brutality of the sea and how to counter it.

He recommends that the mate start with the "Atlas of Remote Islands" to develop an initial feeling for the vastness of the oceans. This should be followed by "The Hungry Ocean, The Outlaw Ocean, The Sea around Us and The World is Blue" to broaden personal horizons to include ocean-related topics such as fishing, piracy, conservation and the future of the oceans. Books such as "Life of Pi, She Captains and Trailblazer" should familiarise him better with women at sea, minorities and other cultures.

He recommends the entire book by Stavridis to the captain as support for his own actions. Even though many books come from the military naval sector, the book "Master and Commander" can give him many tips for his own actions.

I recommend The Sailor's Bookshelf to German-speaking readers in particular - and not just seafarers - as a way of reducing the "sea blindness" that we often experience.

Heinz Dieter Jopp Barmstedt, December 2021

Der Beitrag 50 Bücher über die See erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

Rightly published in the UK in 2021, the book is also distributed by the USNI to reach a much wider readership. Although all army, air force and navy commanders recognise the critical importance of logistics, studies tend to be limited to the impact of strategy, tactics used, weaponry and the influence of leaders. Jeremy Black aims to fill this gap in historical research and has analysed major conflicts past and present in terms of the role of logistics.

In twelve chapters, he spans the arc of his analyses from the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the end of the Ming dynasty in 1644, the end of Persia in 1722, the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars until 1792, from there to the age of steam propulsion in 1850, the developments up to the First World War in 1914, the war from 1914 to 1918, the interwar period from 1918 to 1939, the Second World War from 1939 to 1945, the Cold War and the period up to the turn of the millennium and the possible development in the future. He then summarises his most important findings and conclusions.

Some of the factors influencing his considerations are climate and its changes, geography, nutrition and payment of troops, terrain and distances, transport of men and material, communication and its transmission routes, but also government policy, stability of conditions and financing issues, to name just the most important. It ends with reflections on today's cyber war and the influence of smart weapons. It is already apparent that most warriors on land are no longer members of regular armies but of organisations for the protection of the population, protection against crime, critical infrastructure and other facilities in need of protection.

While van Crefeld's book on logistics was previously regarded as the bible of logistics, this book is much more comprehensive, as it considers all armed forces and their conceivable forms of deployment from the point of view of logistics. It therefore belongs in the hands of politicians and their advisors, military leaders and heads of the blue services.

Author: Heinz Dieter Jopp Barmstedt, December 2021

Der Beitrag Logistics. Schlüssel zum Sieg erschien zuerst auf marineforum.