German frigate Bayern manoeuvres related to Operation Active Endeavour. "Bayern" deployed once more, on 26 January 2015, to join Operation Atalanta, remaining on station until returning to her home port on 3 July 2015. She returned to Operation Atalanta on 23 March, serving as the flagship of Flotilla Admiral Jan Christian Kaack. This deployment lasted for five months, "Bayern" sailing some 32,000 nautical miles, before returning home on 8 August 2016. On 7 March 2018, "Bayern" sailed from Wilhelmshaven to rejoin Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in the Aegean Sea, replacing the replenishment ship "Frankfurt am Main". "Bayern" is expected to complete this
Germany–Kurdistan Region relations Erbil and stated that Germany would continue to support the Kurdish soldiers, and German soldiers commenced the training of Kurdish soldiers in October that year. In January 2015, Defence Minister von der Leyen visited Kurdistan Region again and visited a camp where German soldiers trained Kurdish soldiers, where she commented the training and reassured that Germany would support Kurdistan further. During the Munich Security Conference in February 2015, Barzani met with Merkel and German Defence Minister von der Leyen to discuss the military aid for the Kurdish soldiers. On May 2015, Germany chose to send 500 more MILAN anti-tank guided