WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71

Below you can find detailed information about the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Ships and Naval Weapons, Maritime Technology and Research in Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein. Learn more about its tasks, responsibilities and organizational structure, get contact details and directions.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 Mission

The mission of the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Ships and Naval Weapons, Maritime Technology and Research (WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71) is to provide support to the Germany Navy on maritime issues of defense science and technology. Its scope of tasks comprises the entire range of maritime defense technology in all phases of the materiel development process. The focus of the activities is on the ship as an overall system and on the interaction of different components of this system in the maritime environment.

This Technical Center advises the Navy, BAAINBwBundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr and industry, providing technical expertise in all phases of the maritime equipment life cycle, which includes planning, implementation and in-service use. Furthermore, it is in charge of testing and accepting the parameters that have previously been contractually agreed. WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 performs the task of specialized technical supervision for all fielded Navy weapon systems and it represents the Federal Republic of Germany in international bodies. In addition, this Technical Center is responsible for a variety of research and technology tasks for navy-specific equipment including corresponding weapon systems.

In many fields, WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 cooperates closely with other Bundeswehr research and test centers. This allows making optimum use of the existing resources and avoiding redundancies regarding expert capabilities or test facilities.

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 Tasks

The expertise of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 is the result of the know-how of the roughly 650 men and women working at this Technical Center. The 200 graduate scientists and engineers, together with qualified and experienced technicians, tradesmen and mariners, form the most importance resource of this agency.

The highly specialized facilities of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71, equipped with modern computerized systems for the collection and evaluation of measurement data, represent the current state of the art. Simulations and studies are carried out with the appropriate hardware and software.

Owing to the mission of the German Navy and the geographical conditions, WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 has an outstanding competence in the use of ships, boats and naval equipment in coastal and shallow waters. This specialized knowledge is gaining increasing importance world-wide in view of new scenarios in the use of crisis-reaction forces.

Fields of Activity of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71:

SHIP SIGNATURES
TORPEDO TECHNOLOGY
TORPEDO DEFENSE
SEAThe Shipyards’ & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe MINES / SEAThe Shipyards’ & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe MINE DEFENSE
WATER TECHNOLOGY AND LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT
COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS
COMMUNICATIONS
INTEGRATION OF NAVAL WEAPON SYSTEMS

SONAR TECHNOLOGY
RECONNAISSANCE / ELECTRONIC WARFARE
NAVIGATION
SHIPBUILDING
MARINE ENGINEERING
MARINE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
UNDERWATER DETONICS

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 facilities

Magnetic ranging and treatment facilities

Earth magnetic field simulator for ships and submarines to determine their magnetic protection
Magnetic item ranging facility for measurements on components during the construction phase of a unit
Mobile magnetic ranging system for testing the magnetic protection level of the ships/boats deployed in crisis areas

Other facilities

Measurement sites for acoustic emissions of ships and boats in shallow and deep waters
Underwater and above-water tracking ranges
Vessel exclusion area for underwater contact explosion testing
Underwater test facility for refining the own metrology
Torpedo firing range in an area that can be activated as a vessel exclusion area
Simulation test facilities (e.g. test stands for shock and vibration, climate, resistance to corrosion, flammability)
Ship engineering test stands of various kinds
Test sites for air targets, surface targets and projectiles
A fleet of nine modern research and trial vessels including the PLANET research vessel

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 Organizational Structure

WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71 is organized into one Staff element, five divisions, one "Engineering and Operational Services" element and one "Economic and Administrative Services" element. The Staff element is assigned to the Director of WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle 71. It performs the major business administration control functions of the Technical Center: controlling, scheduling of work, and cost & performance responsibility. In addition, the Staff element coordinates public relations activities, training and education activities and diving and ship operations of the WTDWehrtechnische Dienststelle's own fleet. It also ensures that the certification of the quality management system in accordance with ISOInternational Organization for Standardization 9001 is maintained.

The five divisions are subdivided into branches, which perform the operational functions of the Technical Center. This is where the technical and trial-related tasks and the research & technology projects are mainly carried out.