Early German air force operation of the Eurofighter is proving successful and has validated a decision to move the aircraft to a main operating base with only limited industry support, says the service.
The German air force has taken delivery of eight Eurofighters, seven of which have been deployed to Laage airbase in northern Germany. The other is in use at the service's technical school.
All German Eurofighter pilots will undergo training at Laage, where the 73rd Fighter Wing will eventually have an inventory of 35 aircraft. Training will start in early 2005 with an intake of six instructor pilots, who are expected to spend about four weeks in ground school before progressing to simulator and flight training. The course is expected to last six months, with future intakes of up to 12 pilots per course.
"We are most happy with our results with the Eurofighter," says Col Gunter Katz, base commander at Laage. "It is a very capable aircraft with extreme growth potential." The air force expects to receive its first single-seat Eurofighters in late 2004 or early 2005, he says.
Dismissing negative coverage of the Eurofighter's entry into service by parts of the German national press, Katz says the aircraft is enabling the service's first 10 Eurofighter pilots to conduct operational evaluation and draw up a training syllabus for the type. The service has met no difficulties in its operations at Laage since late April, he says, despite the site's distance from EADS industry support at Manching, where one of the unit's aircraft is receiving system updates.
Germany will eventually operate 180 Eurofighters assigned to wings at Laage, Neuburg, Norvenich, Wittmund and Buchel. In 2007 the service will stand up its first swing-role unit to receive the aircraft, which will be armed with smart weapons such as Boeing's Joint Direct Attack Munition or Raytheon Systems' Paveway IV and the Taurus Systems KEPD 350 cruise missile.
The last German air force unit to be equipped with the Eurofighter will receive its aircraft from 2012. The service will replace its RSK MiG MiG-29 interceptors, McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom attack and Panavia Tornado interdictor strike aircraft with the new type.
CRAIG HOYLE / LAAGE AFB
Source: Flight International
