HistoryHistoryOn 25 January 1974 the keel of S69 HABICHT was layed, as last but one fastattack-craft of the class 143, in the Krögerwerft in Rendsburg and ended with its launching of the vessel on 5 June 1975. Already during the throwing test trip on the Tegeler plate the slogan “one handbroad water under the keel” was ignored due to a collision with the sea bottom. As consequence of this accident the boat receives “fastest landing craft of the navy” to the inadvertent surnames, and retards the setting into service of S69 HABICHT, which thereupon late in Bremen under the command of KptLt Lagois, as last boat of the 2nd FPB-squadron, took place. With the inlet of S69 HABICHT to the 2nd FPB-squadron, in the former home port of Olpenitz, ended the conversion of the outdated jaguar class to the modern and far improved missile fastattack-craft of the Albatros type 143. The integration of S69 HABICHT into the 2nd FPB-squadron took place briskly. This became among other things apparent by intensive training projects in the single and squadron framework in domestic as well as in foreign waters, with which in particular damage defense and combat training, weapon delivery and maritime handling of the boat were drilled. In the folloing years several maneuvers were held at home and abroad with wich the combat capability of this new weapon system impressively was proved.
On its journeys the boat traveled the baltics as well as the north sea. Its courses led it to and around England as well as to the Irish republic. To the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Portugal crew members of HABICHT went ashore as "ambassadors in blue uniform". Through the strait of Gibraltar past the African continent the journey led 1994 into the Mediterranean. Passing the Balearic islands, along the Côte d'Azur the course led to Korsika. In addition, in the North Sea along the Norwegian coastline up to the northern polar circle HABICHT showed its identification signal “DRCC” as well as the slogan of the 2nd FPB-squadron “F-H-G” (merrily, cheerful and calm).
On December 1981 a special ceremony took place in Olpenitz, the home port at that time. The boats of the 2nd speedboat squadron kept the names following to the tradition of the navy beside their “S” - number, from birds of prey. S69 became in such a way S69 HABICHT.
In the history of HABICHT the crews experienced many highlights. Thus in November 1981 the first wet torpedo shot was released from S69, and in the first quarter 1983 the missile system RAM was mounted for trials. HABICHT was thus the only boat of the type 143, which with took this air defense system to the sea. From the deck of the boat missiles were launched, and anti-air and anti-surface warfare exercises were held. In November 1994 S69 HABICHT left its past home port Olpenitz for the last time together with 2nd FPB-squadron, in order to make it to the new homeport Warnemünde in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. [Note by webmaster: that is not completely correct, when the 2nd FPB-squadron moved from Olpenitz to Warnemünde Habicht was not with the squadron due to a planned downtime in the Peenewerft Wollgast shipyard.]
During two more occations in its past service S69 HABICHT was missing the necessary “handbroad water under the keel”, whereby unscheduled downtimes were necessary and made HABICHT inadvertently useless for further employments and maneuvers. But these accidents should not be the latter, with which HABICHT had to fight bad luck.
In August 1995 a fire in the engine area compartment VI of S69 HABICHT made a new shipyard break unavoidable. Despite the professional and fast work of the ships firefighters as well as the deliberation of the boats officers, which resulted in the fast extiguish of the fire, damage taken was heavyer tan eypected. A complete new wiring of the boat was necessary, whereby the shipyard and arsenal downtime lasted to July 1997.
Since the transfer of the 10 boats of the 7th FPB-squadron, likewise to Warnemünde, and a 50/50 mixture of the two squadrons (2. and 7.) S69 HABICHT is now allocated in the 7th speedboat squadron. Habicht and Kormoran were the last two speedboats of the Albatros class in service. Both were deactivated in the middle of December 2005 and sold afterwards to Tunisia.
By „http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/S69_Habicht “
Today Habicht serves under Tunisian flag and was renamed HASDRUBAL and carries the tactical number P 509.
Commanding Officers
KptLt Wilfried Stallmann - 01.02.1977 to 30.09.1977
KKpt Carl Friedrich Lagois - 01.12.1977 to 24.03.1980
KptLt Arndt Rainer Boonstoppel - 24.03.1980 to 29.03.1982
KKpt Thomas Hering - 29.03.1982 to 27.09.1984
KKpt F. Schlürmann - 27.09.1984 to 17.01.1986
KKpt Hartmut Heber - 17.01.1986 to 18.08.1988
KKpt G. Weber - 18.08.1988 to 28.03.1990
KKpt Wilfried Knipprath - 28.03.1990 - 19.03.1993
KKpt Jens Christoph Herfurth - 19.03.1993 to 02/1996
KptLt Gunnar Jopp - 09/1996 to 09/1999
KptLt Duer - 10/99 to 03/2002
KKpt Timm - 04/2002 to 09/2004
KptLt Bodenstab - 10/2004 to 12/2005