56 // AUGUST 2018 #365 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comFlugbereitschaft
keep repair capacity available on their
route network and can often compensate
for unserviceability with a replacement
’plane, but that’s not possible for the
Flugbereitschaft with its tiny fleet, which flies
all over the world to destinations that are
always changing,” said Oberst Neumann.
Instead, remedial action is provided by
accompanying technicians using flight kits
which, depending on aircraft type and mission,
contain anything from consumables and
spare parts to special tools necessary to fix
problems in any remote location of the world.
“We’re very proud of our extremely
low unavailability rate,” said the Oberst,
who considers it unfortunate that the
Flugbereitschaft is often only in the limelight
when an aircraft is actually grounded: “A
civil operator at an airport without its own
station would have the same problems.”
Persons entitled to request special flights
notify the responsible Undersecretary of State
in the Ministry of Defence of their requirements.
Once the mandate holder is aboard a White
Fleet jet, they can feel safe even in regions that
present certain risks, as the A340 and A319 jets
are fitted with the Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-
24(V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures
(LAIRCM) self-defence system to protect
against portable infrared-guided missiles.
Fired from the shoulder, such weapons can
pose a danger on take-off and landing. The
LAIRCM system detects approaching missiles
and blinds their heat seeker heads using
a laser beam, autonomously and without
any action by the crew. There are plans to
install the system in the Global 5000 too.
Grey Fleet
Since 2010, mission planning and control for
the Grey Fleet have been the responsibility of
Above: Oberstabsarzt Benedikt Schüller and Hauptfeldwebel Mandy Wewior check one of the patient
transport units on the medevac A310. The unit provides full intensive care equipment. Below: The
Flugbereitschaft’s medevac A310-304 MRTT serial 10+25 (c/n 484, ex D-AIDB) ‘Hermann Köhl’ in the
evening light above the clouds. Bottom: A Eurofi ghter of TaktLwG 31 ‘B’ plugged into A310-304 MRTT
10+27 ‘August Euler’ as another fi ghter waits its turn.