NATO exercise Role2Sea”: Rostock in the focus of civil-military cooperation!

NATO exercise Role2Sea”: Rostock in the focus of civil-military cooperation!

A remarkable day for medical care in Rostock: The NATO exercise “Role2Sea 2025” took place on August 25, 2025. The focus was on improving civil-military cooperation in the area of ​​emergency medical care. This exercise provided the opportunity to explore and test various processes and procedures under realistic conditions. The Rostock University Medical Center and the Südstadt Rostock Clinic cooperated closely to overcome the challenges of this simulation. Rostock town hall reported that the day before, August 24th, two seriously injured “patients” were flown by helicopter to the Südstadt Clinic, a logistical masterpiece that shows how crucial rapid medical help at sea can be.

August 25th was by no means less eventful. On that day, the Rostock professional fire department transported a total of 30 “injured people” to the two Rostock clinics. These injured people were previously handed over to the civilian rescue workers by the operational group provider “Frankfurt am Main”. The scenario of the exercise was based on a simulated accident on the Bundeswehr boats “Pegnitz” and “Werra” in the Western Baltic Sea, where 30 injured people were on board after a mine explosion. This extraordinary exercise meant that all 15 “patients” in the interdisciplinary emergency center were able to receive excellent care, as Professor Dr. Sven Märdian confirmed.

High-quality medical collaboration

The focus was always on good cooperation between all those involved. Dr. Sven W. Hauschild emphasized that both the Bundeswehr and the other rescue services mastered the interaction excellently to ensure that things ran smoothly. “The exercise represents a valuable opportunity to review our operational plans for a mass casualty incident (MANV) under realistic conditions,” said Hauschild. Parallel to the exercise, additional internal training was carried out with around 20 additional “injured people”.

The “Role2Sea” exercise is part of a larger NATO exercise series called “Quadriga 2025”, which mobilizes a total of around 8,000 German soldiers. Loud NDR These exercises are not just about medical care, but also about increasing the Bundeswehr's operational readiness and contributing to deterrence across the country. While the exercises in 2023 and 2024 focused primarily on air and land operations, this year the focus is clearly on the maritime domain.

International context of the exercise

The relevance of such exercises is also evident at the international level. The Civil-Military Cooperation (ZMZ), which according to BBK which describes cooperation between military and civilian forces is becoming increasingly important in NATO. Within NATO, the focus is not only on medical care, but also on the reconstruction of infrastructure according to crisis scenarios. The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief coordinates these measures internationally and ensures the exchange of expertise and resources.

In summary, the successful implementation of the “Role2Sea 2025” exercise demonstrates the high level of professionalism and commitment of everyone involved. A big compliment to the Rostock clinics and the Bundeswehr for their excellent cooperation and courageous commitment to the safety of the population!