Bundeswehr practices with fighter jets at Nuremberg Airport
As part of the “Dispersed Operations” maneuver, Eurofighters train to work together with civilian structures.
Quick Look
- At Nuremberg Airport, the Bundeswehr is training the “Dispersed Operations” maneuver with four Eurofighters.
- The aim is to increase operational readiness through the use of civil infrastructure.
- According to the airport operator, civil flight operations remain unaffected.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Bundeswehr is practicing the transfer of aircraft to civil airports under the title “Dispersed Operations” in order to increase resilience in the event of a defense.
Bundeswehr fighter jets landed at Nuremberg Airport at midday to spend a week training on cooperation with civilian structures. During its “Dispersed Operations” maneuver, the Bundeswehr is practicing, among other things, relocating aircraft from the air base in Neuburg an der Donau.
In the event of a defense, it would provide the enemy with a welcome target if all aircraft were concentrated at one air base. In addition, aircraft in the air would no longer be able to land if the infrastructure there was destroyed. At the civil airport, among other things, cooperation with the fire department and technical processes must be practiced. Visual and instrument flight approaches are also on the program.
“Of course we want to strengthen our operational readiness, also become more flexible overall and a bit more unpredictable and resilient in the Bundeswehr,” said Lieutenant Colonel Marcus Danksreiter, one of the jet pilots. The exercise is not related to the Ukraine crisis, but is “normal training business”.
A total of 74 take-offs and landings with four Eurofighter fighter jets are planned from Monday to Friday, the airport announced. Civilian traffic will not be affected in any way, said airport managing director Michael Hupe. However, residents would have to expect increased noise pollution in the short term, as the fighter jets are louder than commercial aircraft. Take-offs and landings would neither take place in the early morning hours nor in the evening.
For some time now, Nuremberg Airport has been a replacement location for the Luftwaffe's alarm squad stationed in Neuburg an der Donau. The Albrecht Dürer Airport is the second largest commercial airport in Bavaria after Munich Airport. Last year, 4.51 million passengers were handled there. Almost 53,000 take-offs and landings were counted.
Since last year, the Bundeswehr has been practicing military-civilian cooperation at several locations under the title “Dispersed Operations”. Most recently there was an exercise with Tornado aircraft at Hamburg Airport; In November, exercises will take place at Weeze Airport on the Lower Rhine, as a spokeswoman for the Air Force said.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Exercise at Weeze Airport in November
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Which specific technical processes are trained with the fire department?
