A German, former Joan of Arc, at the head of EUNAVFOR Atalanta

(B2) Operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta has a new "in-field" commander, German Rear Admiral Jan Christian Kaack. Since March 23, he has been leading the European anti-piracy force present in the Indian Ocean aboard the frigate FGS Bayern. NB: the operation commander remains British General Martin Smith based at the London Operation HQ (OHQ), assisted by Swedish Rear Admiral Jonas Wikström.

We are thus witnessing a rise in force of the Germans at the head of both military and civilian CSDP missions. In addition to Atalanta, EUTM Mali, EUCAP Sahel Mali, are now commanded by Germans. While the Italians, also very present, have one of their representatives at the head of EULEX Kosovo, EUTM Somalia, EUCAP Nestor and EUNAVFOR MED.

Born in 1962, Jan Christian joined the German Navy in 1982. He spent a year in Kiel and then entered officer school. At the University of the Bundeswehr in Hamburg, he specialized in economics and organization. In 1987, he received his first assignment in the Navy's speedboats (Schnellbootflotilla). It then goes to Brest in September 1991, as an officer aboard the Jeanne D'Arc, a passage that lasts about 9-10 months and allows him to perfect and practice French.

He took command in 1992 of the speedboats S49 Wolf and S 50 Panther. In 1995, he was an operations officer on the destroyer Rommel. Jan Kaack then became first officer on the "Moulders"in Kiel then commander of the frigate"Bavaria" in 2003. In 2004, he returned to Berlin to lead the military police division within the personnel of the armed forces. on his return (2006), the course for staff officers at the Bundeswehr Command School.In 2007, he became Chief of Staff of Flotilla No. 2008 based in Kiel.

Between 2012 and 2014, he joined the Ministry of Defense at the command of the Navy. Jan Christian Kaack is particularly active in the planning and design of German maritime operations, of which he is the command. A function which earned him promotion to HQ in Rostock, to direct the international cooperation of the German Navy. Since May 2015, he was Director of NATO's "Center of Excellence for Shallow and Confined Water Operations" in Kiel, and Commander of Flotilla 1.

During the handover ceremony with his Italian counterpart, Rear Admiral Stefano Barbieri, the German said to himself " proud to take command of the operation. Although there have been no recent attacks, the threat has not gone away. We must remain vigilant and continue to work together to ensure that pirates have no opportunity to attack merchant ships and their crews »

(Leonor Hubaut)

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