Bundesmarine

The naval ensign of the Bundesmarine.

The Bundesmarine (Federal Navy) 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 June 14^th 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 April 2^nd 1852; thus, the modern Marine celebrates its birthday on June 14^th.

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”).

Force Structure[edit | edit source]

Statistics[edit | edit source]

Active Duty Personnel: 44,200
Reserve Duty Personnel: 22,250
Active Vessels: 110
Inspekteur der Bundesmarine: Admiral Andreas Krause
Stellvertreter des Inspekteurs der Bundesmarine: Vice Admiral Rainer Brinkmann
Stabschef: Rear Admiral Klaus von Dambrowski

Active Vessels of the Bundesmarine[edit | edit source]

Gerhard von Scharnhorst-class Landing Platform Dock (1, 2 UC, 3 planned) - 2024
- BMS Gerhard von Scharnhorst (L71)
- BMS Freiherr vom Stein (L72) - fitting out
- BMS August von Gneisenau (L73) - under construction
- BMS Gebhardt Leberecht Blücher (L74) - planned for construction
- BMS Carl von Clausewitz (L75) - planned for construction
- BMS Hermann von Boyen (L76) - planned for construction
Mackensen-class Guided Missile Destroyer (6) - 2005
- BMS Mackensen (D188)
- BMS Derflinger (D189)
- BMS Hindenburg (D190)
- BMS Moltke (D191)
- BMS Von der Tann (D192)
- BMS Goeben (D193)
Brandenburg-class Frigate (4) - 1994
- BMS Brandenburg (F215)
- BMS Schleswig-Holstein (F216)
- BMS Bayern (F217)
- BMS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (F218)
Sachsen-class Frigate (4) - 2003
- BMS Sachsen (F219)
- BMS Hamburg (F220)
- BMS Hessen (F221)
- BMS Thüringen (F222)
Baden-Württemberg-class Multirole Frigate (3, 1 UC) - 2016
- BMS Baden-Württemberg (F223)
- BMS Nordrhein-Westfalen (F224)
- BMS Sachsen-Anhalt (F225)
- BMS Rheinland-Pfalz (F226) - fitting out
Saarland-class Multirole Frigate (6 planned) - 2027
- BMS Saarland (F227) - under construction
- BMS Niedersachsen (F228) - planned for construction
- BMS Bremen (F229) - planned for construction
- BMS Hannover (F230) - planned for construction
- BMS Ostfriedland (F231) - planned for construction
- BMS Helgoland (F232) - planned for construction
F127-class Air Defense Frigate (4 planned) - 203X
- BMS Unnamed - planned for construction
- BMS Unnamed - planned for construction
- BMS Unnamed - planned for construction
- BMS Unnamed - planned for construction
Braunschweig-class Corvette (5, 5 UC) - 2008
- BMS Braunschweig (K260)
- BMS Magdeburg (K261)
- BMS Erfurt (K262)
- BMS Oldenburg (K263)
- BMS Ludwigshafen am Rhein (K264)
- BMS Köln (K265) - fitting out
- BMS Emden (K266) - under construction
- BMS Karlsruhe (K267) - under construction
- BMS Augsburg (K268) - under construction
- BMS Lübeck (K269) - under construction
Type 212-class Hunter Killer Submarine (12) - 2005
- BMS U-31 (S181)
- BMS U-32 (S182)
- BMS U-33 (S183)
- BMS U-34 (S184)
- BMS U-35 (S185)
- BMS U-36 (S186)
- BMS U-37 (S187)
- BMS U-38 (S188)
- BMS U-39 (S189)
- BMS U-40 (S190)
- BMS U-41 (S191)
- BMS U-42 (S192)
Type 212CD Submarine (4 planned) - 2032
- BMS U-43 (S193) - planned for construction
- BMS U-44 (S194) - planned for construction
- BMS U-45 (S195) - planned for construction
- BMS U-46 (S196) - planned for construction
Barbe-class Utility Landing Craft (2) - 1966
- BMS Lachs (L762)
- BMS Schlei (L765)
Helgoland-class Tug (2) - 1996
- BMS Helgoland (A1457)
- BMS Fehmarn (1458)
Wangerooge-class Tug (2) - 1968
- BMS Wangerooge (A1451)
- BMS Spiekeroog (A1452)
Rhön-class Tanker (2) - 1972
- BMS Rhön (A1443)
- BMS Spessart (S1444)
Bottsand-class Oil Recovery Ship (2) - 1984
- BMS Bottsand (Y1643)
- BMS Eversand (Y1644)
Nordstrand-class Tug (6) - 1987
- BMS Lütje Hörn (Y812)
- BMS Knechtsand (Y814)
- BMS Scharhörn (Y815)
- BMS Vogelsand (Y816)
- BMS Nordstrand (Y817)
- BMS Langeness (Y819)
Alliance-class Research Vessel (1) - 1988
- BMS Alliance (A1456)
Oste-class Intellegence Ship (3) - 1988
- BMS Oste (A52)
- BMS Oker (A53)
- BMS Alster (A54)
Stollergrund-class Trials Ship (5) - 1989
- BMS Stollergrund (Y863)
- BMS Mittelgrund (Y864)
- BMS Kalkgrund (Y865)
- BMS Breitgrund (Y866)
- BMS Bant (Y867)
Elbe-class Replenishment Vessel (6) - 1993
- BMS Elbe (A511)
- BMS Mosel (A512)
- BMS Rhein (A513)
- BMS Werra (A514)
- BMS Main (A515)
- BMS Donau (A516)
Berlin-class Fleet Oiler (2, 2 UC) - 2001
- BMS Berlin (A1411)
- BMS Frankfurt am Main (A1412)
- BMS Bonn (A1413)
- BMS Dresden (A1414)
Planet-class Research Ship (1) - 2005
- BMS Planet (A1437)
Type 707 Combat Support Ship (1 UC, 1 planned) - 2025
- BMS Unnamed - under construction
- BMS Unnamed - planned for construction
Endsdord-class Minesweeper (5) - 1989
- BMS Pegnitz (M1090)
- BMS Hameln (M1092)
- BMS Auerbach/Oberpfalz (M1093)
- BMS Ensdorf (M1094)
- BMS Siegburg (M1098)
Kulmbach-class Mine Hunter (5) - 1989
- BMS Kulmbach (M1091)
- BMS Überherrn (M1095)
- BMS Passau (M1096)
- BMS Laboe (M1097)
- BMS Herten (M1099)
Frankenthal-class Minehunter (12) - 1992
- BMS Fulda (M1058)
- BMS Weilheim (M1059)
- BMS Weiden (M1060)
- BMS Rottweil (M1061)
- BMS Sulzbach-Rosenberg (M1062)
- BMS Bad Bevensen (M1063)
- BMS Grömitz (M1064)
- BMS Dillingen (M1065)
- BMS Frankenthal (M1066)
- BMS Bad Rappenau (M1067)
- BMS Datteln (M1068)
- BMS Homburg (M1069)
Mühlhausen-class Mine Diving Boat (1) - 1995
- BMS Mühlhausen (M1052)

Marineflieger[edit | edit source]

Fixed Wing Aircraft[edit | edit source]

AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma x 6 (ISR UAV)
Dornier Do228 LM x 5 (Pollution Control)
Lockheed P-3C Orion x 8 (Maritime Patrol Aircraft)
Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton x 0 (Maritime Patrol UAV) - 4 on order

Helicopters[edit | edit source]

Camcopter S-100 x 6 (ISR Helicopter)
Airbus H135 x 2 (Helicopter Trainer)
NHIndustries NH90 Sea Lion x 6 (SAR/Transport Helicopter) - 12 more on order
NHIndustries NH90 Sea Tiger x 0 (ASW/ASuW Helicopter) - 32 on order
Saab Skeldar x 2 (UAV) - 8 more on order
Westland Lynx Mk.88A x 22 (Attack/SAR/Transport Helicopter)
Westland Sea King Mk.41 x 22 (SAR/Transport Helicopter)

Future Developments[edit | edit source]

Surface Combatants[edit | edit source]

Five additional Braunschweig-class corvettes are under construction and will enter service between 2023 and 2025.
Six Gerhard von Scharnhorst-class amphibious transport docks are being built with the first to enter service in 2024.
Six F126-class frigates are being built
In June 2020 it was announced that Bundesmarine and Royal Netherlands Navy will cooperate and plan the future replacement of both the Sachsen and De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates from 2030 onwards.

Submarines[edit | edit source]

Four Type 212CD submarines will be procured which will enter service in the early 2030s.

Auxiliaries[edit | edit source]

Two Type 707 combat support ships are being built to replace the aging Rhön-class tankers, and are planned to enter service in 2024.
Three Type 424 fleet service boats will be built to replace the Oste-class fleet service boats.
The Elbe-class will be replaced by a new class of six ships.

Aircraft[edit | edit source]

The Marineflieger will replace the P-3C Orions with eight P-8A Poseidons MPAs and eighteen Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton UAVs.
Thirty-two NH90 Sea Tiger ASW/ASuW will be procured to replaced Westland Sea Lynx Mk.88A
The Saab Skeldar has been ordered as a testbed for a future maritime UAV for the Braunschweig-class corvettes.

Weapons[edit | edit source]

The Naval Strike Missile be procured as a replacement for the Harpoon AShM.

Personnel and Training[edit | edit source]

In May 2013 it was announced by both Ministers of Defence that the German- & Dutch Navy agreed to integrate submarine operations, training and design for future replacements.
Integration of the German Navy Marines (Seebatallion) in the Netherlands Marine Corps and use of the Amphibious ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy such as the multirole vessel Karel Doorman and joint support ship HNLMS Arnhem.