The 1st Corvette Squadron is under new leadership

Bright sunshine in Warnemünde, high-ranking guests and a traditional ceremony. Frigate Captain Marc T. Tippner handed over the 1st Corvette Squadron to his successor, Frigate Captain Stephan Lukascyk. The handover was performed by the deputy commander of Operational Flotilla 1, Kapitän zur See Dr Sascha Zarthe

The post of squadron commander is a career highlight that not everyone is granted: you grow up as a young officer in the unit, and when, after years of hard work, hardship and achievement, you are finally allowed to lead the unit yourself, you know that this is the last time you will be part of it. These are the words of the new commander.

Handing over after many years is therefore also a difficult day emotionally and personally, and you know it's coming. And when it arrives, it may leave you speechless. That's what happened: Frigate Captain Tippner had his thankful and very personal speech to his men and women read out by an officer, as his vocal chords were failing.

The change of command during this time also represents a change of priorities in the squadron: away from UNIFIL and the Aegean and back to the Baltic Sea (see issue 09 of marineforum). The organisation, which is currently permanently present in the Baltic Sea, has reoriented itself towards home waters. The Russian threat in the Baltic Sea is now the daily mission of the corvettes, which are currently being replenished step by step with the new units of the second batch of the K 130. Marc T. Tippner is credited with completing this change, and his successor will continue the certification process until all ten corvettes are ready for deployment. Several other leadership changes had already taken place in the squadron in the morning.

The reception for the guests on the new corvette "Köln" was also proof of this, with the crew immediately offering the guests the typical "Kölsche" drink, as was customary on its predecessors in the old days. The importance of the association was also demonstrated by the high-ranking guests: Lieutenant General Gert Nultzsch, Head of the Bundeswehr Planning Office, Flotilla Admiral Matthias Potthoff, Commander of the Naval Support Command and the new Chief of Staff of the Naval Command, Flotilla Admiral Richard Kesten.

Finally, Frigate Captain Tippner was honoured with the traditional German Navy ceremony, in which an outgoing commander is brought ashore by his officers on a cutter. The crews lined up and saluted him by waving their caps.

marine forum thanks Frigate Captain Tippner for his loyalty and trusting co-operation and wishes the new commander Frigate Captain Lukascyk all the best for the "Let's tackle it" !

Text: hsc

Photos: Bundeswehr/Michelle Peich

 

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Der Beitrag Kommandowechsel in Warnemünde erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

- With the specially developed operator model ISR as a Service by NVL (ISR - Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), NVL offers the security authorities of Germany and other NATO countries as well as commercial customers an effective and quickly available solution for the targeted and permanent surveillance of predefined sea areas using unmanned surface vessels (USV) available on the market

- The data collected using state-of-the-art sensor technology is collated by NVL in a data centre and then made available to the customer for comprehensive situational awareness and anomaly detection

- Procurement, operation and maintenance of the UPSs are guaranteed by NVL and reduce the customer's personnel and material requirements accordingly

- With the ISRaaS operator model, the NVL offers the customer targeted support in the creation of a comprehensive situation picture and makes a significant contribution to the security of the Federal Republic of Germany, the NATO countries and the civilian population

The Threat situation by sabotage and espionage activities in the North Sea and Baltic Sea is increasing massively. In order to monitor the sea area efficiently and continuously 24/7 and, in particular, to protect shipping routes and critical infrastructure, it is necessary to create a comprehensive picture of the situation. This requires enormous capacities and personnel resources from the Federal Republic of Germany and commercial customers, which are to be relieved in future primarily with the help of unmanned systems.

A promising Solution approach is the ISRaaS operator model: NVL utilises UPSs available on the market that are configured to meet the needs of customers in the military, security authorities and critical infrastructure sectors. Using an intelligent deployment model, the UPSs operated by NVL patrol areas that have been defined in advance by the client. At the same time, they maintain a presence, recognise anomalies and collect sensor data. The data collected by the UPSs is made available to the customer via standardised interfaces or a customer portal to create a comprehensive situational picture. The innovative ISRaaS operator model makes an essential contribution to the protection of critical infrastructure and shipping routes and therefore to national and alliance defence.

After Conclusion of contract ISR as a Service by NVL is already available after ready for use in less than twelve months. With this model, the NVL also fulfils the need to develop a quickly implementable solution for the increasingly serious threat situation.

To be operated by NVL in future? UPS "Kraken K3 Scout". Photo: Kraken

As a long-standing and reliable partner of the German Navy, NVL is optimally equipped for this project with its shipyard locations in all German coastal states and the proven NVL services. The ISR as a Service by NVL offers rapid operational readiness and high availability of the systems through a reliable partner of the German Navy. Later expansion stages could, for example, provide an integrated multi-domain situation picture with the help of artificial intelligence. The model can also be used for civilian operators of offshore wind farms or oil platforms, who are legally obliged to ensure the protection of their facilities.

The UPSs are manufactured in the EU and are already in use there.

"As a leading system house in surface shipbuilding, we have been active in the research and development of unmanned and autonomous systems for years. We are using our knowledge and experience in a targeted manner to develop and ramp up the ISRaaS operator model in the shortest possible time and to effectively support our security authorities in protecting our country," explains Tim Wagner, CEO of NVL. "We are already cooperating with German and European technology partners in this area and have a correspondingly comprehensive network and the necessary expertise to quickly implement this cost-effective solution for unmanned systems."

To illustrate this, you will find a video on ISR as a Service by NVL under the following link:

https://nvl.de/de/isr-service-nvl

Der Beitrag Effiziente Seeraumüberwachung – Betreibermodell der NVL erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

Innovations:

• The IMO Net-Zero Framework has been supplemented by the IMO Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) and the IMO's Global Fuel Standard (GFS).
• A separate section was dedicated to the topic of digitalisation on board and its importance for efficient ship operation.
• The chapter on marine fuels has been fundamentally revised and supplemented with considerations on fuels produced by pyrolysis and battery electric drives.
• A new chapter is dedicated to nuclear drive solutions.
• The chapter on technical solutions for improving the efficiency of existing ships has been supplemented by a consideration of the possible combinations of different retrofit systems, including a corresponding matrix.
• Additional technical solutions have been included in the guide to take account of the constantly growing market for new technologies to increase efficiency in ship operation.

The guide can be requested free of charge from the website of the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany.

"MCN 2025 Guide - Ship Efficiency in the Context of International Emission Regulations"

Der Beitrag Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland legt aktualisierten Leitfaden zur Schiffseffizienz vor erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

RED STORM BRAVO starts: Bundeswehr and civilian actors practise together from Thursday

The regional defence exercise RED STORM BRAVO begins next Thursday, 25 September 2025. As already announced several times, the Bundeswehr will be training in Hamburg from 25-27 September 2025 with around 500 soldiers together with blue light organisations, Hamburg authorities and companies in a fictitious scenario.

The RED STORM BRAVO manoeuvre conducted by the German Armed Forces is taking place in various parts of Hamburg and in the port. As part of the exercise, a convoy of military wheeled vehicles will drive through parts of Hamburg's city centre during the night from Thursday to Friday. Bundeswehr helicopters will also be deployed throughout the exercise.

Comprehensive information for the population

The RED STORM BRAVO exercise was accompanied by numerous communication measures in the run-up to the event in order to inform the people of Hamburg comprehensively and in good time. Among other things, information is available on the Internet (Red Storm Bravo: Bundeswehr Exercise 2025 in Hamburg) and the social media (www.facebook.com/Bundeswehr.Hamburg/).

In order to keep the emergency numbers 110 and 112 free, citizens are asked to call the central authorities number 115 if they have any questions about the exercise. The Bundeswehr's citizens' hotline is available for enquiries relating to RED STORM BRAVO at Info@bundeswehr.org and 030 1824-24242.

Scenario

The exercise in Hamburg simulates the deployment of NATO troops to Germany's eastern border in the event of an escalating conflict on the borders of the Baltic states. The focus is on civil-military cooperation in order to strengthen Germany as a central hub for defence measures in the event of an alliance crisis. The RED STORM BRAVO exercise starts at the Reichspräsident-Ebert-Kaserne in Hamburg-Iserbrook and involves the deployment of NATO troop contingents from the harbour to the east, including night-time road movements and dealing with incidents such as numerous wounded. In addition to around 500 soldiers, civilian blue-light organisations, authorities and companies from the port and logistics sector are also involved in order to practise the overall national defence task and improve coordination between military and civilian players. An operations centre in the barracks facility coordinates the exercise, while extensive information measures prepare the population of Hamburg for possible disruptions. The Bundeswehr state commands act as the central point of contact for civilian authorities at state level.

See also the statement by the Commander of the Hamburg Regional Command, Captain Kurt Leonards,

on NDR: Regional Commander Leonards on compulsory military service and "Red Storm Bravo"

Background

The Bundeswehr state commands are the first point of contact for the state government, districts, independent cities and civilian authorities in all matters relating to civil-military cooperation. They are responsible for the territorial contribution to national and alliance defence. There is a Bundeswehr state command in every federal state in Germany

Der Beitrag Übung RED STORM BRAVO erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

Während einige Drohnen im Roten Meer mit relativ kostengünstigen Rohrwaffensystemen abgeschossen werden konnten – wie beispielsweise Phalanx – erfolgten die meisten Abschüsse jedoch mit teuren Raketen. [ds_preview]Eine einzelne Sea-Viper kostet deutlich mehr als 1 Million Euro. Die Gesamtkosten für die von HMS „Diamond“ während ihres Einsatzes im Roten Meer abgefeuerten Raketen werden auf über 25 Millionen Euro geschätzt, während die Kosten pro abgeschossener Houthi-Drohne wahrscheinlich bei unter 50.000 Euro liegen.

Auch der jüngste russische „Drohnenangriffstest“ auf Polen am 10. September macht die Diskrepanz deutlich. Einige der mit Luft-Luft-Raketen abgeschossenen Drohnen waren lediglich Täuschdrohnen, ohne jegliche Bewaffnung. Diese Drohnen dienen nur dem „Munitionsverbrauch“ beim Verteidiger. Man stelle sich ein derartiges Szenario in einem offenen Schlagabtausch mit einem Angreifer vor. Nach jetzigem Stand hätte die NATO ihren Bestand an Luftabwehrraketen nahezu verbraucht, bevor die Angreifer ihre echten Drohnen mit Sprengstoffladungen einsetzen würden.

Dieses Ungleichgewicht zwischen den Kosten macht deutlich: Es geht nicht um einen Wettstreit zwischen Technologien, sondern um Effizienz in der Verteidigung. Es geht um die Frage, wie schnell die Vorräte an Raketensystemen zur Neige gehen, die auch aufgrund ihrer Anschaffungskosten für weitaus komplexere Ziele ausgelegt sind. Letztendlich liegt der Beweis vor, dass Drohnen strategische Waffen geworden sind – auch zur Störung der Seefahrt. Deshalb müssen dringend andere Lösungen geliefert werden.

Auf der alle zwei Jahre in London stattfindenden Messe „Defence and Security Equipment International“ (DSEI), zeigte das estnische Unternehmen Frankenburg Technologies Anfang September seine Kurzstrecken-Anti-Drohnen-Rakete Mk 1 und beschreibt diese als die kleinste Lenkrakete der Welt. Sie kann von Schiffen, Flugzeugen, Drohnen, festen Bodenstellungen und von gepanzerten Fahrzeugen aus abgefeuert werden. Die Kosten des Systems werden mit einem Stückpreis von etwa 55.000 Euro angegeben. Frankenburg Technologies behauptet, dass wegen der Einfachheit des Designs die Herstellung von Hunderten von Raketen pro Woche möglich wird. Das System scheint derzeit in der Ukraine im Feld erprobt zu werden.

Es bleibt abzuwarten, ob die langwierigen Beschaffungsprozesse in den NATO-Ländern angesichts der sich verschärfenden Bedrohungen zu schnelleren Vertragsabschlüssen führen werden. Die Ukraine in ihrem nationalen Kampf ums Überleben hat gar keine andere Wahl, als diesen Übergang schnell zu vollziehen. Die westlichen Länder, auch wenn noch im Friedensmodus, sollten diesem Beispiel folgen; abzuwarten ist keine Lösung, wenn Verteidigungsfähigkeit das Ziel ist.

Jetzt ansehen

kdk, The Maritime Executive

Der Beitrag London: Drohnenbekämpfung – eine kostspielige Angelegenheit erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

Europe's largest ports and innovation centres launch DroneHorizon 2025 Photo: DroneHorizon

The Drone Alliance was launched in early September 2025 at the first edition of DroneHorizon. DroneHorizon is the flagship event of a multi-year European collaboration between three major innovation centres: DronePort Rotterdam (Port of Rotterdam), The Beacon (Port of Antwerp-Bruges) and Windrove - Hamburg Aviation (Port of Hamburg). The first event brought together more than 300 participants from sixteen countries, including representatives from governments, industry and knowledge institutes.

DroneHorizon will take place alternately, starting in Rotterdam in 2025, Antwerp-Bruges in 2026 and Hamburg in 2027. The focus is on a common mission: to accelerate and advance the development and introduction of autonomous and unmanned systems in critical areas. Defence should also benefit from this, as safe ports are essential for receiving military equipment from allies.

For the Dutch Defence Minister, the lesson from the war against Ukraine is clear: in modern conflicts, the speed of innovation is crucial. The same creativity and speed is therefore needed for European ports and logistics chains, as the armed forces cannot guarantee security alone. Only through cross-border and cross-sector cooperation can we keep Europe strong, secure and prosperous.

DroneHorizon is thus laying the foundations for a European agenda on drones and autonomous systems. The focus is on applications with civil and military benefits, such as harbour logistics, inspections and the protection of critical infrastructure (KRITIS). We can only hope that DroneHorizon will quickly find imitators.

kdk, SWZ-Maritime

Der Beitrag EU-Häfen gründen Drohnenallianz erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

The controversial and often criticised terminal in Mukran on the island of Rügen in particular is now receiving significantly more LNG than at the beginning of the year. Data from the Federal Network Agency shows that over 10 terawatt hours of natural gas were fed in there in the second quarter, significantly more than at the other German LNG terminals. According to analysts, this is mainly due to the location advantage for Rügen, particularly for Central Europe and for supplying the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, which have been receiving less gas from Russia since January. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has brought Europe closer together in terms of gas supply.

In addition to the increase in demand, technical factors also played a role: following further expansions, the terminals are now fully operational for the first time. There is also a seasonal effect, as gas is typically slightly cheaper in summer than in winter because demand is higher in winter. It is therefore attractive for companies to buy and store gas in summer and use it in winter.

According to the Federal Network Agency, the current fill level of German gas storage facilities on 13 September 2025 is around 75 %. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) has lifted the alert level of the gas emergency plan in Germany, which has been in force since 23 June 2022. The early warning level has been in force again since 1 July 2025. By 1 November, the gas storage facilities should be filled to 80 %.

kdk, NDR

Der Beitrag Deutschlands Gasimporte steigen deutlich erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

MQ-9 "Reaper" in action. Photo: USAF/Paul Ridgeway, public domain

The aim of this international exercise was not only to localise and defuse the legacy of war, but also to improve and strengthen cooperation between the allies, including the police and the Dutch coastguard. The focus is on optimising coastal defence as well as testing advanced technologies against modern threats such as sabotage of submarine cables or attacks on strategically important ports. The Joint Inter Agency Task Force - North Sea, which is responsible for this, led the maritime operation.

This year, the deployment of unmanned surface vessels (USV) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), which were used for reconnaissance and mine clearance, was a particular focus. The Dutch Air Force's MQ-9 "Reaper" (General Atomics) armed reconnaissance drone was also deployed in the exercise area. The remote-controlled units make some of the work safer and less intensive for the divers. However, this does not mean that the divers become superfluous.

The Netherlands took part with the Alkmaar-class minehunting vessels HNLMS "Willemstad" (M 864) and "Schiedam" (M 860), the research vessel MV "Geosea" and the diving support vessel HNLMS "Nautilus" (A 853). In addition, the expeditionary survey boat HNLMS "Hydrograaf" (H8021) was tasked with mapping waters, harbours and shipping channels in the Wadden Sea. Belgium took part with the minehunting boat BNS "Lobelia" (M 921, Flower class) and Estonia provided specialists and material for explosive ordnance disposal.

The Sandy Coast exercise lasted just under two weeks this year and takes place annually, alternating between Belgium and the Netherlands. This exercise is more than routine for both countries, as it illustrates the extent to which current geopolitical conflicts interact and Europe's security also depends on security on the seabed.

kdk, SWZ Maritime

Der Beitrag Niederlande – Drei Marinen absolvieren gemeinsame Schutzübung erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

It had already been an issue on the coast for weeks. It is therefore not surprising that this decision has been made. The timing on a Monday morning in September 2025 is also not necessarily sensational, as the market for naval shipbuilding is currently very dynamic and urgent. Negotiations have been going on since August. The pressure to become more powerful industrially in Germany has existed for three years due to the explosive security policy situation. Whether the culture of a Düsseldorf-based company focussing on a land-based portfolio can be reconciled with the way of thinking on the coast is not just an arabesque. The well-known fact that the succession issue of the Lürssen families played a not insignificant role in the spin-off is actually gossip, but a long-awaited consequence.

What actually happened?

Corvette Cologne under construction 2023, Photo: Daniel Angres

In 2021, Fr. Lürssen Werft GmbH & Co. KG, based in Bremen Vegesack, separated from the Defence division and founded NVL B.V. & Co. KG, initially in the same building in Vegesack. Since then, NVL has owned Blohm+Voss in Hamburg, the Peene shipyard in Wolgast, the Neue Jadewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven and the Norderwerft shipyard in Hamburg as well as other foreign locations in Australia, Bulgaria and Croatia. NVL has immense potential in naval shipbuilding; with the exception of submarines, it can repair and build pretty much anything that the navy and authorities want and that is in demand abroad. As a repair yard owner, NVL is an important partner of the German Navy. With a current order volume of over 7 billion euros, corvettes, fuel supply vessels and fleet service boats are being built, a design for new tenders is in the drawer and the joint venture with Kraken Technology Group in the UK is looking to a new weapons and reconnaissance future. Whether Damen Shipyards Group will remain in the running as a subcontractor for the Class 126 frigate for the German Navy - and whether it will be built at all - is an exciting prospect in the near future.

Sale of the division and retention of expertise

As the company announced today, Rheinmetall plans to take over all NVL sites and employees and to integrate and further develop them, together with their current management, as a separate division within the Rheinmetall Group. This cannot be otherwise, as Rheinmetall has no shipbuilders or engineers with a maritime focus in its ranks, not to mention the skilled labour. The sale is still subject to approval by the competition authorities. This consolidation is commercially necessary and timely in terms of security policy. Friedrich Lürßen, Managing Partner, commented: "We believe that consolidation within the defence industry is necessary and sensible, particularly in view of the intensified threat situation. This is the only way to ensure our country's ability to defend itself quickly. With the sale of NVL to Rheinmetall, we are now creating the conditions for a powerful defence champion with broad-based systems expertise. We are delighted to have found in Rheinmetall a trustworthy and strong partner who can secure a successful future for NVL and its employees." His cousin Peter Lürßen, also Managing Partner of Lürssen Maritime Beteiligungen GmbH & Co KG, adds: "The talks in recent weeks have shown that the chemistry between our companies is right and that we have similar values. It is important to us to place our marine division, our technological expertise and, above all, the approximately 2,100 employees of NVL in good and reliable hands." This is not only a political responsibility, but also a commercial and entrepreneurial necessity: the consolidation of legacy assets is urgently required, as the various shipyard locations of the NVL Group are differently equipped for a different security policy situation in the future. You also need a large, good investor to secure the investments of the future.

Naval shipbuilding becomes more complex

Construction of the MBV 707 fuel supply vessel at the Neptun shipyard in Rostock in 2024 Photo: hsc

In the past, shipyards built warships and bought weapons and systems for them, installed them and built on them. The shipyard set the pace and placed the order, the others were just the suppliers. Things are different today: you have to think systemically, right from the first weld seam. The complexity of command and control and weapon systems has changed considerably and networking and interconnection are the guiding principles. Added to this are unmanned and autonomous units in the air, on the water and underwater. The integration of weapon systems sets the pace and unfortunately also the completion dates, as can be seen in the example of the Class 130 corvettes - and not only there and not only at NVL. Rheinmetall's naval division, which is now to be established, is coming up against a company that is currently the most important supplier of defence technology and has hardly made a maritime appearance to date, apart from the development of simulators for the navy and ammunition. This is one of the many synergetic opportunities to dovetail expertise in weapons and ammunition systems with naval shipbuilding. In addition, NVL has many properties and industrial sites with already established production factors from which Rheinmetall can benefit. It is conceivable that vehicles could also be manufactured in an unused shipyard hall.

Takeover as early as 2026

Shipyard employees present commemorative plaque for the keel laying of the new fleet service boats in Wolgast in 2024. photo: hsc

The two companies are aiming to complete the takeover by the beginning of 2026. No information about the purchase price was released to the outside world; the parties have agreed not to disclose it. "Rheinmetall will be a relevant player on land, at sea, in the air and in space," explained CEO Armin Papperger. Rheinmetall is thus developing into a "cross-domain systems house". Rheinmetall wants to meet the massively increasing requirements of the naval forces and the rising budgets for procurement "with high-performance system solutions" - such as "naval missiles and launchers, main and secondary guns for the navy, missile defence, sensors and other electronics", said Papperger. But the takeover also needs to be financed, and Rheinmetall is negotiating with investors including One Equity and Mutares. This was reported by the Handelsblatt.

Lürssen now "only" builds yachts

In future, the Lürssen Group will concentrate exclusively on the construction and repair of mega yachts. Until now, as a specialist shipbuilder, the company has been good at providing technological support to each other in a crossover technology between its Defence and Yacht expertise. A mega yacht is also a specialised ship and the customers, whether naval or billionaire, have special requirements and are demanding. Both want the best and the latest. It remains to be seen how this cross-fertilisation will work out.

National champion?

This does not answer the question that has been discussed for years as to whether Germany will now have a leading national naval shipbuilder like France, Spain or Italy. There are still important shipbuilders and high-tech shipyards with a future on the Kiel Fjord and the Lower Weser, which are taking note of today with suspicion, but also calmly. Competition still stimulates business. TKMS also needs an investor, but Rheinmetall is unlikely to be one - this opportunity was missed by the last government. We will soon find out who comes into question - it remains exciting.

Der Beitrag Lürssen verkauft Marineschiffbau an Rheinmetall erschien zuerst auf marineforum.

The Indo-German submarine deal is worth around €7 billion and includes six modern submarines based on the Class 214 (72 metres long), which will be built in India. According to the Times of India, Spanish competitor Navantia with its S-80 design was the last bidder to be eliminated.

Negotiations are being conducted between the Indian state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, with the contract expected to be finalised within six months. The conventional fighter submarines are equipped with the air-independent propulsion system (AIP), which enables multi-week submerged cruises; a significant performance enhancement and reinforcement for the Indian Navy.

With Project 75 (I), the government wants to accelerate submarine production and ensure the operational readiness of the navy in the Indian Ocean, as the project is not only aimed at expanding the submarine fleet, but also at strengthening domestic capabilities in the design and manufacture of conventional submarines.

This move comes at a time when India is facing the twin challenges of modernising its fleet and countering the rapid expansion of China and Pakistan's navies.

kdk, The Times of India, THB

Der Beitrag Indien genehmigt U-Boot-Bau mit TKMS erschien zuerst auf marineforum.