Prussia aboard. On 9 November, Preussen was decommissioned for the winter. 1879–1888 On 5 May 1879, the armored squadron was reactivated, composed of Preussen, her sister Friedrich der Grosse, and the old armored frigates Kronprinz and Friedrich Carl. The annual summer training cruise was primarily conducted just in the Baltic Sea, apart from a short voyage in June to the coast of Norway. During the cruise, the ships stopped in Russia, where they were met by Tsar Alexander III; after returning to Germany, they were visited by Kaiser Wilhelm I in Danzig Bay. Preussen was also used to tow a new floating dry dock from Swinemünde to Kiel. The four ships returned to Kiel in September, where they were demobilized for the winter. On 24 March 1880, Preussen was reduced to the reserve fleet temporarily, before being reactivated on 3 May for service with the Ironclad Squadron. Wilhelm von Wickede, a former Austrian naval officer, replaced Batsch as the squadron commander. Again, the squadron remained in the Baltic for the summer cruise, with the exception of a short visit to Wilhelmshaven and Cuxhaven in August. During squadron exercises in July, Preussen was visited by Stosch, Crown Prince Friedrich, and his son, Prince Wilhelm. The summer cruise in 1881 followed the same pattern as the year previous. Wickede again served as the commander. In July, the ships hosted a visit by the British reserve squadron, which by this time included the first British ironclad, . Preussen and the rest of the squadron visited Danzig in September during a meeting between Kaiser Wilhelm I and Alexander III. Preussen saw active service in 1882 from 2 May to 25 September. The summer cruise included the same four ironclads from the previous year, and was again commanded by Wickede, who had by then been promoted to Konteradmiral. Preussen was kept in reserve during the annual summer maneuvers starting in 1883, as new ships, including the four s entered service. From 1883 to 1884, the ship underwent a modernization that included new boilers and a reconstructed poop deck. Her sailing rig was also reduced at that time. Further modernization work was carried out beginning in 1885, including the addition of two Hotchkiss guns and five submerged torpedo tubes were added in the hull. The work was completed on 4 November 1888, though she was not immediately recommissioned. She was instead assigned to the newly formed