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The earliest German establishment
charged with the technical development and the testing of Sea Mines was the
Navy's Mine and Mine-Sweeping Group (SVK: Sperr-versuchskommando) which
fitted into the over-all German Mining Program as shown in
Figure 1. In
1938, the Luftwaffe had decided that the LM-type parachute mines develop-ed
by SVK would not meet future tactical requirements and contracted with the
private firm of A.E.G. for the development of a bomb-mine. However, SVK
remained in complete control of mine development until 1941, when the
Luftwaffe created a separate and in-dependent organization known as the Test
Station (E-Stelle: Erprobungsstelle) for the purpose of pushing the
development of the bomb-mine. (The E-Stelle as established within the
Luftwaffe, as shwon in Figure 2). In 1943, SVK was shorn of further
responsi-bilities with the formation of an independent Navy testing
establishment known as the Trials Group (SEK:
Sperrwaffenerprobungskommando). |
