Naval Protection Force (Germany)
The Naval Protection Force was a marine unit of the German Navy. It had the size of a battalion and was part of the 1st Flotilla. It was established on April 1, 2005, but traces its roots back to 1958, when the so-called Sea battalion was activated. Its headquarters was in Eckernförde on the Baltic Sea. Next to the Naval Special Deployment Force, the Naval Protection Force were considered to be a marine element within the German Navy.
The Naval Protection Force battalion was organized into five units: one staff and support company, three naval protection companies and one military intelligence platoon.
On 1 April 2014 the Naval Protection Force became an integral part of the re-formed Seebataillon.
Structure
The Naval Protection Force consisted out of around 500 soldiers and structured into a staff company, three combat companies plus a HUMINT platoon. Every company, led by a lieutenant.Marineschutzkräfte- * Staff and Support Company
- * 1st Company
- ** 1st platoon
- ** 2nd platoon
- ** 3rd platoon
- ** 4th platoon
- * 2nd Company
- ** 1st platoon
- ** 2nd platoon
- ** 3rd platoon
- ** 4th platoon
- * 3rd Company
- ** 1st platoon
- ** 2nd platoon
- ** 3rd platoon
- ** 4th platoon
- * HUMINT platoon
Deployments
Despite their short time of existence, the German Naval Protection Forces participated in a range of national and international Deployments.International Deployments
- Afghanistan: 8th contingent of ISAF
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Deployment within EUFOR
- Djibouti: Deployment within Operation Enduring Freedom
- Horn of Africa: Deployment within Operation Atalanta
- Kosovo: Deployment within KFOR
- Lebanon: Mobile Protection Elements for the protection of UNIFIL vessels
- Cyprus: Harbour Protection Element in Limassol to secure the German operated UNIFIL base
National Deployments
- Protection of US-American facilities as part of the Host Nation Support in 2003
- Protection of US-American ships during the Kiel Week
- Protection of the Ammunition Supply Ship Westerwald during the mission- and training passage to South Africa and back
Equipment
Personal Weapons
- Heckler & Koch G36, an Assault rifle
- Heckler & Koch MG4, a Light machine gun
- Rheinmetall MG3, a General-purpose machine gun
- M3M, a Heavy machine gun
- Heckler & Koch MP7, a Submachine gun
- MP2, a Submachine gun
- Heckler & Koch MP5, a Submachine gun
- P8, a Pistol
- G22, a Sniper rifle
- G82, a Sniper rifle
- Heckler & Koch G3, a Battle rifle
- G28, a Designated marksman rifle