Operations staff DEU MARFORGerman Maritime Forces

“German Maritime Forces”, or in its NATO abbreviation simply DEU MARFORGerman Maritime Forces, is a military command and operational staff. Its personnel plan, support, and lead multi-national maritime exercises and operations. In times of crisis, NATO or the EU, for example, can activate the staff as maritime headquarters to lead national naval units.

DEU MARFORGerman Maritime Forces is therefore a further contribution by Germany specifically to national and collective defence. Allies such as the United Kingdom, France, and Italy also have comparable headquarters.

A flexibly deployable headquarters

The staff is an integral part of the new Naval Command Centre in Rostock. Just under 100 soldiers form its core, 25 of whom are multi-national exchange and liaison officers. Their work processes and procedures are certified according to NATO standards, and their daily working language is English. All this makes DEU MARFORGerman Maritime Forces unique within the German Navy. If the task force is activated for a specific task in a crisis, it is reinforced by experts from both the Bundeswehr and partner nations.

DEU MARFORGerman Maritime Forces has three main tasks: first, to plan military operations in detail; second, to command warships, combat aircraft and helicopters; third, to compile and update a comprehensive situation picture. Secondary functions include organising the supply of subordinate units as well as the involvement with a public information campaign. The staff can perform all of these tasks in whole or in part out of a fixed infrastructure on land or on board German or allied warships.