The German Navy (Deutsche Marine () is the navy of Germany and part of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces).

The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet (Reichsflotte) of the revolutionary era of 1848–1852 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy (Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, 1866–1871) and became the Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine, 1872–1918). From 1919 to 1921 it was known as the Temporary Imperial Navy (Vorläufige Reichsmarine) and then became the Reichsmarine. It was known as the War Navy (Kriegsmarine) from 1935 to 1945.

From 1945 to 1956, the German Mine Sweeping Administration and its successor organisations, made up of former members of the Kriegsmarine, became something of a transition stage for the German Navy, allowing the future Bundesmarine to draw on experienced personnel upon its formation.

In 1956, with West Germany's accession to NATO, a new navy was established and was referred to as the Federal Navy (Bundesmarine). With the reunification of Germany in 1990, and the take-over of units of the former East German Volksmarine ("People's Navy"), it was decided to simply use the name Deutsche Marine ("German Navy").

Mission

The German Navy is part of the German armed forces (Bundeswehr), and is deeply integrated into the NATO alliance. Its mission includes the participation in peace-keeping and peace enforcement operations as well as the protection of German and Allied territories.

Operations

thumb|right|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.
German war ships 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 is commanded by a German admiral. There have been reports of Israeli F-16s firing against German ships. Israel denied that the F-16s fired against the ships and stated that it was only overflying the ships.

Organization

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 19,000 men and women with another 6,000 navy personnel serving in different elements of the central military organization of the Bundeswehr.

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

• Fleet Command (Flottenkommando), Glücksburg

• *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

• ***one HQ & support company

• ***four Force Protection companies (Marinesicherungskompanie)

• **Special Warfare Group, (Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine), Eckernförde

• *** HQ & support company

• *** combat diver company (Kampfschwimmerkompanie)

• *** mine clearance diver company (mine countermeasures and explosive ordnance disposal; Minentaucherkompanie)

• *** combat diver support company (KS-Unterstützungskompanie)

• *** company for special operations (e.g. boarding)

• ***support company

• ***special training center

• *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

• 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

Ranks

Officers

Enlisted

Gallery

Ships and weapon systems

Surface Vessels

• Frigates

• *4 × Baden-Württemberg class, support of special forces, land-attack (under construction)

• *3 × Sachsen class, anti-air frigates

• *4 × Brandenburg class, multi purpose frigates

• *8 × Bremen class, multi purpose frigates

• Corvettes

• *5 × Braunschweig class, multi purpose corvettes

• Fast Attack Craft

• *10 × Gepard class fast attack craft

• Mine Counter-Measure Vessels

• *5 × Ensdorf class minesweeper, drone guidance

• *5 × Kulmbach class, (Type 333) mine hunter

• *9 × Frankenthal class, (Type 332) mine hunter

• *1 × clearance diver support vessel M 1061 Rottweil

• *18 × Seehund ROV (remote controlled drones, 2 men crew only for transit) part of the TROIKA PLUS system together with the Ensdorf class minesweepers

Submarines

• Submarines

• *4 × U212A class (multi-purpose submarine), 2 more under construction, replace some U206A class

• *6 × U206A class (coastal submarine)

Auxiliary vessels

• Landing craft

• *2 × Barbe class (Type 520) utility landing craft

• Fleet Auxiliary Squadron

• *2 × Berlin class (Type 702) multi-product replenishment ship, one more ordered

• *2 × Walchensee class (Type 703) fleet oiler

• *2 × Rhön class (Type 704) fleet oiler

• *6 × Elbe class (Type 404) tender

• *3 × Oste class (Type 423) electronic surveillance ship

• *2 × Wangerooge class (Type 722B) Seeschlepper (sea-going tug)

• *1 × Fehmarn class (Type 720B) large sea-going tug

• *1 × Westerwald (Type 760A) ammunition transport

• Naval Base auxiliary vessels

• *2 × Wustrow class (Type 414) harbour tug

• *3 × Langeroog class (Type 754) (sea-going tug and diver training boat)

• *1 × Sylt class (Type 724) large harbour tug

• *6 × Lütje Horn class (Type 725) harbour tug

• *2 × Bottsand class (Type 738) oil recovery ship

• Other Auxiliary Vessels

• *3 × Helmsand class multi-purpose ship (Type 748) trial and fleet service ships

• *1 × Wilhelm Pullwer class (Type 741) trial boat

• *1 × Gorch Fock tall ship (Type 441) sail training ship

• *1 × Eisvogel class (Type 721) icebreaker

• *1 × Planet class research ship (Type 751); SWATH vessel

• *1 × Alliance class (Type 753) research ship (NATO vessel under German flag)

Aircraft

! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Notes
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport/Utility Helicopter
|-
| Westland Lynx
|
| antisubmarine helicopter
| Sea Lynx Mk 88
| 22
|
|- style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| Westland Sea King
|
| naval helicopter
| Sea King Mk 41
| 21
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Maritime Patrol
|-
| Lockheed P-3 Orion
|
| maritime patrol
| P-3C
| 8
| former Netherlands Navy Maritime Patrol
|
|- style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| Dornier Do 228
|
| pollution control
| Do 228 LM
| 2
| Under orders by the Federal Ministry of Transport
|

---

-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Reconnaissance Aircraft
|-
| Camcopter S-100
|
| unmanned aerial vehicle
| Camcopter S-100
| 0
| A first batch of 6 UAVs has been ordered (more being planned)
|- style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| Breguet Atlantic
| || signals intelligence
| BR 1150
| 2
| to be replaced by 5 Luftwaffe Eurohawk
|}

Radio and communication stations

• VLF transmitter DHO38

• DHJ58

• DHJ59

Developments

• A first batch of 4 × frigates of the F125 class 7,200 tonnes (7,900 tons) 145 m/476 ft (Baden-Württemberg class) specialised for persistent stabilisation missions is planned to replace some Bremen class (8 × guided-missile frigates) ships. Each F125 will have two crews. They will enter service between 2014 and 2017.

• 6 × medium surface combat ships are planned under the name Korvette "K131" (corvette "K131")

• Some Joint Support Ships (JSS) for strategic troop transport are planned.

• A new development called "Mehrzweckeinsatzschiff" (multi-mission ship) was announced in January 2009.

• One more Berlin ''class replenishment ship was ordered in December 2008.

• 30 × MH90 frigate helicopters are planned to replace 22 Sea King helicopter of Naval Air Wing 5 and some Sea Lynx.

• A first batch of 6 × Camcopter S-100 UAVs for the use on the Braunschweig class corvettes has been ordered (more being planned). Deliveries will take place in 2013.

Sources

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