On 16 May, Lütjens reported that "Bismarck" and "Prinz Eugen" were fully prepared for Operation "Rheinübung"; he was therefore ordered to proceed with the mission on the evening of 19 May.
Dela na Tirpitzu so bila dokončana kasneje kot je bilo pričakovano in ladjo so predali nemški mornarici šele 25. februarja, s tem da Tirpitz ni bila pripravljena na boj še vsaj do konca leta.