In March 2025, the "Dreizack" conference for young researchers and networkers took place for the ninth time, organised by the ISPK in cooperation with the German Naval Association. The "Dreizack" brings together people from a wide range of specialist areas who are conducting research into maritime security issues. Particular emphasis is placed on networking young researchers with more experienced experts from the scientific community and the armed forces. The "Dreizack" thus also serves to broaden one's own horizons, to exchange ideas with colleagues and to form a sustainable network in an open and constructive atmosphere.

For the first time, part of the three-day conference was held on the premises of the Foundation for Science and Democracy. The day at the Wall was characterised by historical and strategic considerations. The first panel on the history of maritime challenges was kicked off by Kerrin Langer (Dortmund), who developed the concept of "military metabolism", i.e. the interplay between the military and the environment, and analysed it using three British warships. Carsten Siegel (Wilhelmshaven) explained his plans to redesign an exhibition in the Naval Museum, in which a naval deployment is to be accompanied by an "embedded historian" in order to be able to report on it first-hand. Johannes Fischbach (Berlin) shed light on the relative success of the navy in the course of the rearmament of the young Federal Republic, particularly in view of the fact that no naval officers were involved in the negotiations. He summarised his lecture with the provocative question of whether a lack of political attention could not also be an advantage for the development of the navy.

After the coffee break, accompanied by a short presentation by Marco Thiele (Berlin), Chairman of the Navy/Federal Armed Forces Association, the conference concluded with talks on the topic of "Navy between science and practice". Firstly, Achim Winkler (Lüneburg) shared interesting insights from his long career as a speedboat commander, naval press officer and instructor on the training ship Gorch Fock, after which Jonas Bingert (Kiel) took a critical look at the formation of the navy's reserve companies. Although there are material and structural deficits, the reservists are not lacking in motivation. After a final lunch together, the Trident 2025 came to an end - with many unanswered questions and valuable insights for the maritime security of the future.
We would like to thank the foundation for its hospitality and are already looking forward to next year's Trident.

Report: Carl Kruttke & Henrik Schilling

Impressions