Naval Protection Force

Marineschutzkräfte
180px Current Unit Patch
Active	2005 - Present
Country	Germany (Deutsche Marine)
Branch	German Navy
Type	Marine (military)
Role	Naval Protective Forces
Size	496 troops
Garrison/HQ	Eckernförde
Commanders
Current commander	Commander Senior Grade Thomas Schorn
Notable commanders	Commander Senior Grade Rehr, Commander Senior Grade Mügge

The Naval Protection Force (German: Marineschutzkräfte, MSK) is a marine unit of the Deutsche Marine. It has the size of a Battalion and is part of the 1st Flotilla (Einsatzflottille 1). It was established on April 1, 2005, but traces its roots back to 1958, when the so called Sea battalion (Seebataillon) was activated. Its Headquarter is in Eckernförde on the Baltic Sea. Next to the Naval Special Deployment Force (Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine, SEKM), the Naval Protection Force are considered to be an infantry element within the German Navy.^[1]

The Naval Protection Force battalion is organized into five units: one staff and support company, three naval protection companies and one military intelligence platoon.

Deployments

• Afghanistan: 8th contingent of ISAF (one Infantry unit)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Deployment within EUFOR
• Cyprus: Harbour Protection Element (HPE) in Limassol to safeguard the port of call of the German UNIFIL units
• Djibouti: Deployment within Operation Enduring Freedom
• Horn of Africa: Deployment within Operation Atalanta
• Kosovo: Deployment within KFOR
• Lebanon: Mobile Protection Elements (MPE) for the protection of UNIFIL vessels

See also

• German commando frogmen

References

1. ^ Naval Protection Force on www.marine.de (german)

External links

Official information on marine de:

• Naval Protection Force (German)

Other information:

• www.marine-portraits.de: Portrait of Naval Protection Force (MSK) (German)