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What does a bolder German posture in the region mean for Australia and its regional partners?
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Last week, German Navy vessel FGS Bayern docked in Fremantle, Western Australia, for a week-long visit ahead of an extended deployment in the Indo-Pacific, set to involve joint exercises with regional navies and a number of European Union, United Nations and NATO operations.
While in WA, the ship’s crew of 200 officers and sailors are expected to participate in a number of civic, social, sporting and charity-related engagements.
The ship, which will be berthed at Fremantle Harbour until 5 October 2021, is one of four Brandenburg Class frigates, and is the first visit of a German Navy ship to Australian waters since 1988.
The frigate's deployment follows 2+2 political and security policy consultations between the German and Australian Foreign and Defence Ministers on 10 June 2021.
The meeting involved a decision to upgrade the nations’ bilateral Strategic Partnership to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership in a bid to increase security and defence co-operation, including through training and exercises, particularly in the maritime domain.
Johannes Peters, head of the Center for Maritime Strategy and Security at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK), notes the significance of the ship’s arrival in light of diplomatic tensions between Berlin and Beijing.
The Germany Chancellery and Foreign Office recently sought to appease China by seeking permission for a port visit in Shanghai.
However, in response, Beijing withheld its consent pending a commitment of ‘good behaviour’ from Germany during FGS Bayern’s transit through the South China Sea.
“That China prematurely yielded this card in refusing to grant access far in advance of the Bayern’s arrival might hint at a discreet effort at damage control by German diplomats,” Peters writes in ASPI’s The Strategist.
According to Peters, “China’s loss has been Australia’s gain”, noting that Canberra was quick to capitalise and welcome the vessel to Australian shores.
“Germany and Australia have common interests in a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he writes.
“Germany launched its Indo-Pacific guidelines last year, emphasising its concerns about global supply chains and the security of its maritime trading routes. This was followed by the launch of the largely congruent EU Indo-Pacific strategy this month.”
Germany’s pivot to the Indo-Pacific, Peters writes, is a clear deviation of the country’s long-standing post-war posture.
“In Germany, the deployment is seen as a remarkable gesture, due in part to the society’s general reluctance to deploy military forces and the fact that the Deutsche Marine has only 10 similar ships of various classes, rendering them a scarce commodity with many competing operational demands,” he adds.
FGS Bayern's deployment comes amid a “seismic moment” in German politics, with the retirement of Angela Merkel after 16 years in office.
Prior to the election campaign, Germany’s parliamentary budget committee also approved €19 billion ($30 billion) in defence acquisitions, which included procuring the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, two new Type 212CD submarines, new fleet oilers and next-generation signals intelligence ships.
“As a new coalition government is hammered out in the coming months, significant uncertainty about defence policy and procurement priorities will persist,” Peters claims.
He goes on to note the potential dangers associated with an increased focus on the Indo-Pacific, warning it could leave Europe vulnerable to Russian threats.
Peters cites remarks made by retired Australian Rear Admiral James Goldrick, who argues that European powers should focus naval and military efforts in Europe, allowing the US and other Indo-Pacific partners to counter Chinese aggression.
Peters concludes: “Accordingly, the modest but important German deployment of FGS Bayern, with its two visits to Australia, may prove to be genau richtig, or just right.”
Get involved with the discussion and let us know your thoughts on Australia’s future role and position in the Indo-Pacific region and what you would like to see from Australia's political leaders in terms of partisan and bipartisan agenda setting in the comments section below, or get in touch with
