The German Navy concluded its “Indopacific Deployment 2024” (IPD24) of F125 frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg (F222) and auxiliary Frankfurt am Main (A1412). Despite the name the effort represented a global circumnavigation, covering 45,000 nautical miles over a duration of seven months.
IPD24 originally kicked off on the 8th of May, when both ships left from Rota, Spain, and Wilhelmshaven, Germany, respectively. The ships joined in the Atlantic Ocean and after a first oceanic crossing hailed port in Halifax and New York. From there the flotilla proceeded to the Panama Canal, crossing into the Pacific Ocean, with a stop-over in San Diego. Together with various partner navies both ships then proceeded to Hawaii for this years RIMPAC exercise conducted by the US Navy in July.
Surgery At Sea and RIMPAC
On the way to Hawaii the Berlin-class replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main around June 22 demonstrated the capability of its onboard hospital module dubbed “i-Merz”. Using its medical facilities the crew were able to save the life of a Mexican sailor airlifted from another vessel. RIMPAC itself provided F222 Baden-Wuerttemberg with a chance to perform air defence exercises using its RAM-launchers. Notably the German Navy in Hawaii joined up with Luftwaffe Eurofighters also participating in joint exercises.
Moving on from RIMPAC, the ships then proceeded to Japan, arriving in Tokyo and docking in Yokosuka in August. On that leg of the deployment the ships participated in two joint operations. The Pacific Maritime Security Exchange (PSMX) in support of UN-sanctions against North Korea provided opportunity for the political focus of IPD24. Secondly, both ships conducted joint operations with Japanese, Australian, French, Italian and American naval vessels under the scope of Exercise Noble Raven 2024.
Taiwan Strait Transit And Red Sea Obstacle
After calling port in Incheon, the ships then proceeded through the Taiwan Strait, arriving in Manila. As part of the South China Sea-leg of the journey IPD24 also visited Jakarta, Singapore and Port Klang, Malaysia. Transiting into the Indian Ocean, the German Navy then used the opportunity to conduct exercises with the Indian Navy. Maneuvers included cross deck aviation training, replenishment operations and firing exercises.
Leaving Goa, the security environment in the Red Sea provided an obstacle to the originally intended return of both ships via the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean. Neither ship by is suitably equipped to counter the Houthi threat of drones and ballistic missiles. Lacking available AAW-escorts in the region, the German Navy directed IPD24 to take the longer but safe way around the Cape of Good Hope.
The ships docked in Cape Town on November 13, leaving after a week. Proceeding to Rota, Spain, the flotilla arrived on December 2. At Rota both ships parted ways, as Baden-Wuerttemberg headed back into the Mediterranean. The German Navy has earmarked F222 as contribution to UNIFIL. Meanwhile supply ship Frankfurt am Main sailed on to Germany, where the ship arrived on December 8.
Naval News Comments:
The Indopacific Deployment 2024 highlighted both accomplishments and challenges especially from a purely national perspective for the German Navy. A global circumnavigation and participation in multiple exercises and operations without technical or operational issues represents an accomplishment particularly for F222 Baden-Wuerttemberg. The F125 frigates have suffered multiple teething issues going into service. In this context F222 demonstrated the type’s viability for extended missions across the globe as originally intended.
Similar to F217 Bayern’s deployment in 2021 IPD24 also enabled the German Navy to once again exchange experiences and know-how with navies in operational environments very distinct from the usual deployments within a European and NATO-context. The German Navy due to budgeting, force posture and commitments remains understandably focused on the NATO-area of operations. Events like IPD24 do not primarily focus on substantial material contributions of the service to global theatres. Rather they signal German political willingness to engage with global partners in naval security- and foreign policy-matters.
The Taiwan Strait-transit served to illustrate an ambition to come true on stated political imperatives. Avoidance of the Red Sea over the Houthi-threat however displays the severe operational limitations the German Navy continues to face on the stated ambition to “display the flag in service of international security”.
The difficult security situation in the Red Sea existed before IPD24 set sail and will likely persist for some time. Other navies continued to transit the Red Sea, notably the Italian carrier Cavour also returning from its own “Indo-Pacific” deployment. From a purely national point of view the German decision to take the longer way home was compelling. Lack of adequate resources and the imperative of operational safety are rationales standing for themselves. Strategic and operational planning however in the grander scope may want to reflect on considering a wider range of options coming true on declared aspirations. Increased management flexibility liaising with partners conducting operations in similar theatres and timeframes appears to offer solutions here.
The German Navy framed the Indopacific Deployment 2024 as this year’s “most important maritime defence diplomacy engagement”, intended to demonstrate “Germany’s commitment to free and secure shipping lanes”. The latter part requires more serious attention for notional future deployments within this political framework.
