Employments Abroad 2001 to 2016

After the assassination on the World Trade Center September 9th 2001 the Bundestag agreed in November to participate on the base of Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and on Article 5 of the NATO Treaty in the fight with armed S-boats against international terrorrism.

The first activity followed in the framework of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) with S64 "Bussard" and S62 "Falke" from 2. S-Boat-Squadron as well as S71 "Gepard", S80 "Hyäne", and S72 "Puma" from 7. S-Boat -Squaron supported by Tender "Donau" from January 21th 2001 with the transport of the boars with "Condock II" to Djibuti until June 15th with the returning of the German Contingent on own keels to Warnemünde on June 15th 2002. The objectoves of this action was sea-surveillance at the horn of Africa and safe escorting of merchant ship along the coast of Somalia.

The next employment within this framework for the S-Boat-Flotilla was participation of S63 "Geier" from 2. S-Boat-Squadron as well as S67 "Kondor" and S70 "Kormoran" from 7. S-Boat-Squadron supported by Tender "Main" in Operation Active Endeavour (OAE) Street of Gibraltar (STROG) I as TG 500.02 of the Standing Naval Force Atlantik (SNFL) in the Mediterranean-Action with the objective to safely escort ships through the Straits of Gibraltar. As Naval Base the Spanish Navy Station of Cadiz was available. The duration of this action was from September 19th to December 10th 2003. 

After a break in OAE the 2. Contingent, S62 "Falke", S68 "Seadler", S77 "Dachs" took over at their homeport Warnemünde Hohe Düne where they were at a 72-hour-readiness. Supported by Tender "Elbe" their employment started January 29th 2004. Since S62 "Falke"did no longer fulfill the technical requirements, S80 "Hyäne" from 7. SGschw, foreseen for the 3. Contingent, transitted prematurely to Gibraltar. The reminder of the 3. Contingency consisting  S64 "Bussard" from 2. and S69 "Habicht" from 7. S-boat-Squadron supported by Tender "Main" for their employment.

The System-Support Group (SUG) for the actions was formed by the SUGs of the 2., and the 7. S-Boat-Squadron. STROG within Operation Active Endeavour was ended May 28th 2004 ansd the boats returned to their homeport June 29th 2004. 

The Schnellbootflottille (S-Boat-Flotilla) was disbanded with the introduction of Einsatzflottille 1 (EF 1), one of the two big units of the German Navy with direct subordination to Flottenkommando (Fleet Command) in Glücksburg-Meierwik June 29th 2006. The 10 remaining S-boats of class 143 A were now subordinate to EF 1. Also the new corvettes, Braunschweig-class (K 130) were subordinate to EF 1. 

According to the planning 2006 again four boats of the 7. S-Boat-Squadron were to participate in OEF at the Horn of Aftrica, however, because of the changed security-situation they participated in Operations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in stead. The objectives were safeguarding the sea-borders, ending the illegal dealing with weapons, and training support for the Libanese Navy. The frigates employed were operating far from the coast while the boats were operating in the so called Area of Maritime Operations (AMO) within the limits of 43 nm from the coast. 

Operational Area of Operation UNIFIL

S74 "Nerz", S 77 "Dachs", S78 "Ozelot", and S80 "Hyäne" with Tender "Elbe" left Warnemünd September 19th 2006 and arrived at their oparations-harbour,  Limassol/Cyprus October 1st 2006.

There a part of the civilian harbour was rented and a Naval Base, the so called Fast-Patrol-Boat-Castle (FPB-Casle), was established. There a tender was stationed with parts of the SUGs of the 2. and 3. S-Boat-Squadrons on board. The area was safe-guarded by a platoon from Marineschutzkräfte (Navy Protection Forces) from Eckernförde. All nations operating boats under UNIFIL were using this area for support. Only  Turkey operated their corvettes based on Mersin.

"Elbe", S74 "Nerz", and S78 "Ozelot" sailed back to the homeland March 1st 2007, while on S77 "Dachs" and on S80 "Hyäne" a change of crews was performed mid March 2007.

From 2006 to 2016 the 7. S-Boat-Suadron almost continuously participated in Operation UNIFIL. Thereby the exchange of crews was tested to achive a longer time-on-task for the platforms. Several boat thus were longer in action than a year. The longest time-on-task for a boat was 17 months. 

Am 12.02.2007 verlegten S71 "Gepard" and S76 "Frettchen" transitted from Warnemünde to Limassol starting February 12th 2007 to relieve S74 "Nerz" and S78 "Ozelot". Teh two baoat returned together with tender "Elbe" to Warnemünde March 17th 2007.

 S76 "Frettchen" rammed S71 "Gepard" on April 20th 2007 off the Libanon. Both boats were badly damaged. After an on-the-spot-repair in the Mediterranean they transitted back to Germany for repairs.

With that according to the plans the actions for UNIFIL of the 7. S-Boat-Squadron should be ended because from this pint in time the corvettes took over the task.

Thus the actions under the flag of the United Nations lasting almost 10-years ended. On October 15th 2006 the first four boats of the 7.S-Boat-Squadron thereamong also S80 "Hyäne" had entered Beirut to start the first maritime mission for the united Nations UNIFIL MAROPS.

During the UNIFIL-mission S80 "Hyäne" performed common seamen's maneouvres and firing-exercises with the French destroyer "Montcalm". After the assasination of Paris November 13th 2015 the S-boat-crew expressed their solidarity with their French colleges. 

Complement "S80 Hyäne" - Picture: PIZ Marine

For the complement of S80 "Hyäne" a five-month-action at UNIFIL ended December 3rd 2015. As relieve the complement S75 "Hermelin" got into their footprints. The commander of the German Continigent,  Fregattenkapitän Johst, haded the command of the boat over from Kapitänleutnant Pauker to Korvettenkapitän Tesch. 

  The Commander of the German Contigent hands over command from Kapitänleutnant Pauker to Korvettenkapitän Tesch - Picture: Archives 7. SGeschw 

"S80 Hyäne" had carried out seafaring maneouvers and firing exercises with the French destroyer "Montcalm" during her UNIFIL-employment. Subsequent to the terror-attack at Paris on 13. November the S-Boats-Crew expressed their solidarity with their French comrades.

The Remains of the 7. S-Squadron in the Morninglight - Picture: Frank Zingler

On December 14th 2015 at 10.00 "S79 Wiesel" and "S72 Puma" were decommissioned at Rostock-Warnemünde. The squadron was left with the command of just four boats, which were to be decommissioned on November 16th 2016.

"Lower Flag and Pennant" on "S79-Wiesel" - Picture: Frank Zingler

On 29. February 2016 the two boats "S73 Hermelin" and "S76 Frettchen" as well as Tender "Elbe" left harbour for a four-weeks Squadex and participation in the international exercise  BALTOPS. During the Squadex inter alia the cities of Oslo and Göteborg were visitied. Seananship exercises and firing exercises and sailing in formation, fog navigation and towing and being towed were trained as well as tactical exercises were carried out. On 23.03.2016 the force returned into their homeports.

On 18.04.2016 "S80 Hyäne" returned to her homeport Hohe Düne after a more than 9 month lasting UNIFIL-deployment.

"S80 Hyäne" in the Kiel-Canal on 17.04.2016 - Picture: T. Kunzmann

On 18.04.2016 "S80 Hyäne" returned to her homeport Hohe Düne after a more than 9 month lasting UNIFIL-deployment.

"S80 Hyäne" in the Kiel-Canal on 17.04.2016 - Picture: T. Kunzmann

Return of "S80 Hyäne" into her homeport on 18.04.2016 - Picture: T. Kunzmann