Navy Marine
Naval Ensign of Germany.
Founded	1956 (1990)
Country	Germany
Size	17,000 personnel 87 ships 52 aircraft
Part of	Bundeswehr
Engagements	Operation Sharp Guard (1993–96) Operation Enduring Freedom  • Combined Task Force 150 (2002– ) Operation Active Endeavour UNIFIL II Operation ATALANTA
Commanders
Inspekteur der Marine	Vice Admiral Axel Schimpf
Insignia
Logo of the German Navy

German Navy Deutsche Marine
Components Organization Ships Naval Air Arm Kampfschwimmer Command Fleet Command Marineamt Equipment Ship Classes History and Traditions Prussian Navy Norddeutsche Bundesmarine Kaiserliche Marine Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine Volksmarine Awards, Decorations and Badges Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr Military Proficiency Badge Badge of Marksmanship Service Medal Flood Service Medal

The Marine ( listen (help·info))) is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr (the German Armed Forces). It is deeply integrated into the NATO alliance. Its mission is protection of German and Allied territories as well as peace-keeping and peace enforcement operations.

The Marine traces its roots back to the Reichsflotte (Empire Fleet) of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52. The Reichsflotte was the first German Navy to sail under the black-red-gold flag. Founded on 14 June 1848 by the orders of the democratically elected Frankfurt Parliament the Reichsflottes brief existence ended with the failure of the revolution and was disbanded on 2 April 1852. Thus for todays Marine the birthday is celebrated every year on the 14 June.

From 1945 to 1956, the German Mine Sweeping Administration and its successor organizations, made up of former members of the Kriegsmarine, became something of a transition stage for the Marine, allowing the future Marine to draw on experienced personnel upon its formation. In 1956, with West Germany's accession to NATO, the Marine was formally established. With the reunification of Germany in 1990 the Marine took over the former East German Volksmarine ("People's Navy").

Current operations[link]

German warships permanently participate in all four NATO Maritime Groups. The German Navy is also engaged in operations against international terrorism such as Operation Enduring Freedom and NATO Operation Active Endeavour.

Presently the largest operation the German Navy is participating in is UNIFIL II off the coast of Lebanon. The German contribution to this operation is two frigates, four fast attack craft, and two auxiliary vessels. The naval component of UNIFIL has been under German command.^[1]

Ships and aircraft[link]

Ships[link]

In total, there are about 87 commissioned ships in the German Navy, including 4 submarines and 36 auxiliary ships. The displacement of the navy is 220,000 tonnes. In addition, the German Navy and the Royal Danish Navy are in cooperation in the "Ark Project". This agreement made the Ark Project responsible for the strategic sealift of German armed forces where the full-time charter of three roll-on-roll-off cargo and troop ships are ready for deployments. In addition, these ships are also kept available for the use of the other European NATO countries.

The three vessels have a combined displacement of 60,000 tonnes.^[2][3] Including these ships, the total ships' displacement available to the Deutsche Marine is 280,000 tonnes.

A total of five Joint Support Ships, two JSS800 and three JSS400, were planned during the 1995-2010 period but the programme appears now to have been abandoned, not having been mentioned in two recent defence reviews. The larger ships would have been tasked for strategic troop transport and amphibious operations, and were to displace 27.000 to 30.000 tons for 800 soldiers.^[4]

Aircraft[link]

The naval air arm of the German Navy is called the Marineflieger. The Marineflieger operates 52 aircraft.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Quantity[5]	Notes
Helicopters
Westland Lynx	United Kingdom	Anti-submarine helicopter	Mk 88	22
Westland Sea King	United Kingdom	Maritime helicopter	Mk 41	21
Fixed-wing aircraft
P-3C Orion	United States	Maritime patrol	P-3C	8
Dornier Do 228	Germany	Pollution control	Do 228 LM	2	More on order.
UAVs
Camcopter S-100	Austria	UAV	S-100	0	6 on order.

A German Navy boarding team member assigned to the frigate FGS Augsburg (F213) provides security with a P8 pistol for the remainder of his team as they board a local cargo dhow by fast rope to conduct a search of the vessel.

Structure[link]

The German Navy is commanded by the Inspekteur der Marine in the Federal Ministry of Defence in Bonn. The major commands are the Fleet Command at Glücksburg near Flensburg and the Naval Office at Rostock. The Fleet is commanded by the Befehlshaber der Flotte (Commander-in-Chief German Fleet or CINCGERFLEET) and comprises all combat vessels, aircraft, helicopters and other combat forces, while schools, naval bases and test installations are under the purview of the Naval Office. The strength of the Navy is about 17,000 men and women.^[6]

The navy as a part of the Bundeswehr is responsible for developing and providing the maritime capabilities of the German armed forces. Therefore it is operating a number of development and testing installations as part of an inter-service and international network.

The Fleet[link]

• Fleet Command (Flottenkommando), Glücksburg, Kontradmiral Michael Mollenhauer (CINCGERFLEET)
  • 1st Flotilla (Einsatzflottille 1), Kiel
    • HQ 1st Flotilla
      • Centre of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Waters (COE CSW)
    • 1st Corvette Squadron (1. Korvettengeschwader), Warnemünde
    • 1st Submarine Squadron (1. Unterseebootgeschwader), Eckernförde
    • Submarine Training Centre (Ausbildungszentrum Unterseeboote), Eckernförde
    • 3rd Mine Countermeasures Squadron (3. Minensuchgeschwader), Kiel
    • 7th Fast Patrol Boat Squadron (7. Schnellbootgeschwader), Warnemünde
    • 5th Mine Countermeasures Squadron (5. Minensuchgeschwader), Kiel
    • Force Protection Group, (Marineschutzkräfte), Eckernförde
      • HQ
      • 3x Force Protection companies (Marinesicherungskompanie)
      • HUMINT platoon (Feldnachrichtenzug)
    • Special Warfare Group, (Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine), Eckernförde
      • HQ
      • combat diver company (Kampfschwimmerkompanie)
      • mine clearance diver company (mine countermeasures and explosive ordnance disposal; Minentaucherkompanie)
      • Boarding company
      • Training Company (Ausbildungsinspektion)
  • 2nd Flotilla (Einsatzflottille 2), Wilhelmshaven
    • HQ 2nd Flotilla
    • 2nd Frigate Squadron (2. Fregattengeschwader), Wilhelmshaven
    • 4th Frigate Squadron (4. Fregattengeschwader), Wilhelmshaven
    • Auxiliary Squadron (Trossgeschwader), Wilhelmshaven/Kiel
  • Naval Air Wing 3 (Marinefliegergeschwader 3), Nordholz
  • Naval Air Wing 5 (Marinefliegergeschwader 5), Kiel
  • Naval Medical Institute (Schiffahrtsmedizinisches Institut), Kiel (responsible especially for diving medicine)

Naval Office[link]

Naval Academy Mürwik

• Naval Office (Marineamt), Rostock
  • Department for Development of the Navy, Bremerhaven
  • Navy Schools (Admiral Naval Training)
    • Naval Academy (Marineschule Mürwik), Flensburg-Mürwik
    • Petty Officer School (Marineunteroffiziersschule), Plön
    • Engineering School (Marinetechnikschule), Parow, near Stralsund
      • Damage Control Training Centre (Ausbildungszentrum für Schiffssicherung), Neustadt in Holstein
    • Naval Operations School (Marineoperationsschule), Bremerhaven
  • Supporting Installations (Admiral Naval Logistics)
    • Naval Base Command (Marinestützpunktkommando) Wilhelmshaven
    • Naval Base Command (Marinestützpunktkommando) Eckernförde
    • Naval Base Command (Marinestützpunktkommando) Kiel
    • Naval Base Command (Marinestützpunktkommando) Warnemünde
    • Naval Service Test Command (Kommando Truppenversuche der Marine), Eckernförde
    • Naval Command & Control Systems Command (Kommando Marineführungssysteme), Wilhelmshaven

Personnel[link]

The German navy has a strength of 17,000 personnel.

Ranks[link]

Officers[link]

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D)	Student Officer
Germany (Edit)	No Equivalent	Admiral	Vizeadmiral	Konteradmiral	Flottillenadmiral	Kapitän zur See	Fregattenkapitän	Korvettenkapitän	Stabskapitänleutnant Kapitänleutnant	Oberleutnant zur See	Leutnant zur See	Oberfähnrich zur See Fähnrich zur See Seekadett	Enlisted rank plus a star indicating cadet's career

• Seekadett - Officer Cadet
• Fähnrich zur See - Midshipman 2nd class
• Oberfähnrich zur See - Midshipman 1st class
• Leutnant zur See - Ensign
• Oberleutnant zur See - Lieutenant (junior grade)/Sublieutenant
• Kapitänleutnant - Lieutenant
• Stabskapitänleutnant - First Lieutenant
• Korvettenkapitän - Lieutenant Commander
• Fregattenkapitän - Commander
• Kapitän zur See - Captain (naval)
• Flottillenadmiral - Flotilla Admiral
• Konteradmiral - Rear Admiral, Counter Admiral
• Vizeadmiral - Vice Admiral
• Admiral

Petty officers and enlisted seamen[link]

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5			OR-4		OR-3		OR-2		OR-1
Germany (Edit)
	Oberstabsbootsmann						Stabsbootsmann		Hauptbootsmann		Oberbootsmann			Bootsmann			Obermaat		Maat	Oberstabsgefreiter	Stabsgefreiter	Hauptgefreiter	Obergefreiter	Gefreiter		Matrose

• Matrose - Seaman Recruit
• Gefreiter - Seaman Apprentice
• Gefreiter-UA - Seaman Apprentice E2 - Petty Officer Candidate
• Gefreiter-BA - Seaman Apprentice E2 - Chief Petty Officer Candidate
• Gefreiter-OA - Seaman Apprentice E2 - Officer Candidate
• Obergefreiter - Seaman
• Hauptgefreiter - Ordinary Seaman
• Stabsgefreiter - Able Seaman
• Oberstabsgefreiter - Leading Seaman
• Maat - Petty Officer 3rd Class
• Maat-BA - Petty Officer 3rd Class - Probationary Chief Petty Officer
• Obermaat - Petty Officer 2nd Class
• Bootsmann - Petty Officer 1st Class
• Oberbootsmann - Chief Petty Officer
• Hauptbootsmann - Senior Chief Petty Officer
• Stabsbootsmann - Master Chief Petty Officer
• Oberstabsbootsmann - Command Master Chief Petty Officer, Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer

Radio and communication stations[link]

• VLF transmitter DHO38
• DHJ58
• DHJ59

Future developments[link]

• A first batch of four frigates of the F125 class (Baden-Württemberg class) specialised for persistent stabilization missions is planned to replace some of the older Bremen class warships (eight guided-missile frigates). Each F125 will have two crews. They are expected to enter service between 2016 and 2018.
• Six medium surface combat ships are planned under the name Korvette "K131" (corvette "K131")
• A new development called "Mehrzweckeinsatzschiff" (multi-mission ship) was announced in January 2009.^[7]
• One more Berlin class replenishment ship was ordered in December 2008.
• 30 × MH90 frigate helicopters are planned to replace the 22 old Sea King helicopter of Naval Air Wing 5 and some of the Sea Lynx helicopters.
• A first batch of six Camcopter S-100 UAVs for the use on the Braunschweig class corvettes has been ordered (more being planned). Deliveries will take place in 2013.^[8]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website of German Navy in English
• Die Flotte 2006 – official fleet listing and presentation in German and English
• Uniforms

See also[link]

• German commando frogmen
• List of ships of the German navies
• List of ship classes of the Bundesmarine and Deutsche Marine
• Marineamt
• Marine-Regatta-Verein
• U-boat
• Volksmarine

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