Free Republic

Germany’s defense minister plans to equip the country’s newly all-volunteer military with better childcare, more attractive barracks and Internet access—giving it a facelift as it competes with business for new recruits in a humming economy. Ursula von der Leyen, who became Germany’s first female defense minister in December and is widely considered a potential successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, on Wednesday set out plans to put €100 million ($136 million) over the next five years into dusting off the Bundeswehr’s starchy image. …

In the first sequence, it's important to note that the German vessel (not sure if it qualifies as a "patrol boat," as I couldn't identify it) bears-off in order to avoid striking a "friendly" inflatable. What's interesting about the later sequence is the master's throttle control, and what appears to be the patrol boat driving the stern of the "unfriendly" inflatable underwater in order to disable its engine. I'm getting a kick out of imagining (delivered in a German accent, naturally): "UNIDENTIFIED VESSEL OFF MY STARBOARD BOW!THIS IS THE GERMAN PATROL BOAT, OMGPWND! YOU HAVE ENTERED RESTRICTED WATERS! HEAVE TO...