Mysterious missiles over Grimmen: Harmless Luftwaffe training exposed!

Mysterious missiles over Grimmen: Harmless Luftwaffe training exposed!

A Facebook post at the weekend caused quite a stir: “reddish flying objects” were spotted in the sky over Grimmen. Many users from the region reported their observations, and rumors about rockets and cruise missiles quickly spread. But now there is the all-clear: Tactical Air Force Squadron 73 in Rostock has taken a clear position and wants to calm things down. They know when a rocket is flying over Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and they haven't seen any. In addition, a theory about a NATO maneuver in the Baltic Sea has been dismissed, allowing concerned citizens to breathe a sigh of relief.

The Bundeswehr made it clear that no live ammunition would be used in exercises currently underway. The aviation office announced that the aircraft that have been spotted so often come from the Swiss Air Force - specifically, it is the Pilatus PC-21, which can reach speeds of up to 685 km/h and fly at altitudes of 7,620 meters. The high speed of the planes probably explained the misunderstandings, as from a distance they were mistaken for missiles. Experts emphasized that there is no missile activity in the region.

NATO maneuver BALTOPS off Rostock

Parallel to these horror reports, the annual NATO naval exercise BALTOPS is taking place in the Baltic Sea, which this year is being coordinated from Rostock. Around 50 ships, 25 aircraft and 9,000 soldiers from 17 nations are taking part in the exercises, which are primarily aimed at improving joint capabilities in maritime operations. This includes anti-submarine warfare, mine clearance and air defense. Vice Admiral Jeffrey T. Anderson called BALTOPS a “keystone” to transatlantic security. The exercise, which runs through June 20, will result in restrictions on civilian shipping and the Navy is asking recreational captains, sailors, anglers and paddlers to stay away from the warships.

Frigate Captain S. observes a Russian ship, the “Vasiliy Tatishchev”, which is following the NATO exercises from about three nautical miles away. These observations come against a backdrop of heightened tensions with Russia, making the exercises all the more significant. Special safety precautions apply on board the German frigate “Bayern”: cell phones are prohibited on deck in order to prevent the ship from being located.

Participation of the German Navy

The German Navy is participating in the BALTOPS exercises with several ships, including the corvettes “Braunschweig” and “Magdeburg”, the frigate “Bayern” and various support ships. The “Bayern” has particularly specialized in the fight against submarines and has already successfully carried out target exercises against target drones. This is happening in the context of a comprehensive rearmament program and increasing defense spending. With this, NATO wants to strengthen its presence and demonstrate a clear deterrence against potential threats.

While the military exercises are underway, the left in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is critical of the militarization of the region and describes the exercises as “saber rattling”. Despite the different perspectives on NATO activities, the major challenge for Rostock remains the logistical management of the increased shipping and troop traffic in the region.

Overall, the situation is an exciting interplay of military exercises and unsettled citizens. While the focus is on security-related aspects, it remains essential that the population is well informed - and ideally without alarmism.

Moin.de reports that the scenery over Grimmen is rather harmless, while NATO is ensuring stability in the region with the BALTOPS maneuver ZDF Today and NDR report in detail.