Bundeswehr Exercise “Red Storm Bravo” – Hamburg 2024

There will be no tanks over the streets of Hamburg, but helicopters can be heard. 500 soldiers rehearse in a fictitious scenario to move NATO emergency services to the east because a border conflict between a Baltic state and Russia escalates. The scenario stipulates that troops and equipment and weapon systems arrive in the harbor and continue transported on the street or by train. According to the Bundeswehr, the exercise takes place at night, as in an emergency. Then, among other things, military convoys from the port through the city should be accompanied by the city and to protect from the air by helicopters.

Grote asks population for understanding

Interior Senator Grote asked the Hamburgers for understanding when it gets louder because of this exercise. The traffic pollution from military columns is kept as low as possible by driving especially at night. He emphasized: “The better we are set up in our overall defense, the lower the success of an attack and the less likely an attack.”

The Bundeswehr trains the emergency again in Hamburg. The FAQ often answers questions about the exercise.

Turntable for troop movements

Captain to Lake Kurt Leonhard, the commander of the Hamburg State Command, emphasized that everyone would have to pull together for a credible deterrent. In the “Red Storm Bravo” exercise, the Bundeswehr does not want to practice in the event that Germany has to defend itself directly in an attack. Rather, the civil-military cooperation in the crisis and alliance case is practiced. In this case, Germany would become a kind of hub for troop movements.

Occupational security law: employment agency rehearse application

Meanwhile, the employment agency rehearses the application of the occupational safety law during the exercise. In the event of war and crisis, this law regulates that there are enough workers where they are needed. For example in the hospital, in logistics, in energy supply. However, this law only comes into force if the Bundestag and the Federal Council find the defense case. A two-thirds majority is required. But if it is used in the event of a crisis, this can ultimately mean that employees can be obliged to do a different job. The exercise should be concerned with the processes that are to be used in an emergency.

Criticism of the left

While the red-green coalition and the CDU explicitly support the military exercise as the strongest opposition party in the Hamburg Citizenship, the left-wing criticism comes from the left. Their peace policy spokesman David Stoop said that the military exercise is by no means just about practicing logistical processes. The process of dealing with civil protests, i.e. the use of the Bundeswehr against demonstrators, should also be rehearsed.

Protests against military exercise

Opponents of the exercise want to protest against “Red Storm Bravo”. For Friday evening, the left calls for a demonstration against the Bundeswehr exercise on the town hall market under the motto “No war games in Hamburg”. And also on Saturday afternoon a rally is planned at the main train station under the motto “No to the NATO war exercise Red Storm Bravo – yes to civil development”.

From Thursday, the Bundeswehr will train its processes in a tension in Hamburg for three days. Not everyone agrees.

The Bundeswehr begins in a week with its greatest exercise in Hamburg since the end of the Cold War. Around 500 soldiers are involved.

How can important tasks in Hamburg be done in the event of a crisis or defense? The employment agency wants to train this as part of the “Red Storm Bravo” exercise.

The military exercise “Red Storm Bravo” will take place in Hamburg at the end of September. Commander Kurt Leonards explains what is rehearsed.