New tactical naval headquarters opened in Rostock: “Commander Task Force Baltic” intended to monitor the Baltic Sea region in exchange for NATO partners. This is challenging, but very important.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius inaugurated the Navy’s new tactical headquarters in Rostock: “Commander Task Force Baltic”. The command is responsible for monitoring the Baltic Sea region and aims to exchange information with NATO partners. Up to 180 players create a situation report covering an area of 400,000 square kilometers.
As the navy’s brass band plays, the minister says: “With a little help from my friends, I don’t think I could have chosen a better song.” Pistorius couldn’t have had a more fitting song: “With a little help from my friends.”
The Baltic Sea is of central importance
Eleven of Germany’s allies participate in “Commander Task Force Baltic”, twelve NATO partners in total. The command monitors the Baltic Sea from its tactical headquarters in Rostock. A water body of central importance, as the Defense Minister emphasizes:
Marine lifelines run here that ensure growth and prosperity. Communication and energy. Maritime trade is carried out here and our economies depend heavily on its dynamics.”
An example is the Nord Stream pipeline, which runs through the Baltic Sea. In an attack in September 2022, three of the four lines were destroyed, which had a major impact on energy supply and ultimately economic strength in Germany.
Observations above and below water
The pipelines are part of the “Commander Task Force Baltic” specific focus infrastructure. The same goes for undersea cables: Internet connections often run through undersea fiber optic cables.
So the command center in Rostock monitors the Baltic Sea above and below the water, explains Johannes Peters from Kiel University’s Institute for Defense Policy: “After all, Germany has the means to create a good situational picture – with submarines, with the naval service boats we have,” says Peters. Germany has always provided NATO with an underwater and surface situational picture in the Baltic Sea.
The view of the Russians increased Research vessels
From the new tactical headquarters in Rostock, soldiers monitor all aircraft movements in the Baltic Sea and the position of ships via large screens.
The Baltic Sea is one of Northern Europe’s busiest sea routes. If a ship deviates from the planned course, this draws attention to the situation center. Recently, the Navy has increasingly seen Russian research vessels near critical infrastructure, raising suspicions of possible sabotage.
For Navy expert Peters, the mission of the new headquarters is fundamentally important: “The better your own situational awareness, the greater the probability that an actor will not find out what he’s doing.” And something to do with the high barrier threshold.
Leadership is expected from Germany
As the German Navy is the largest and most powerful in the Baltic Sea region, many neighboring states have long demanded that Germany lead surveillance of the Baltic Sea. NATO partners, particularly in the Baltic region, are calling on Germany to be strong in its support for Ukraine.
Finland’s Foreign Minister Elena Valdonen says in an interview that the turnaround must continue ARD Capital Studio. “We want Germany to play a leading role in these matters. Common security, common deterrence. We have a lot more to do as Europe. We hope Germany will take the lead.”
Germany has now assumed this important role in monitoring the Baltic Sea. NATO should be as successful as possible with a little help from its friends.
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