http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #365 AUGUST 2018 // 57
the European Air Transport Command (EATC)
at Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands.
Ranging from transport flights to air-to-
air refuelling missions or the evacuation
of sick or injured personnel over long
distances (strategic air medical evacuation),
all the orders come from the EATC.
One German A310 MRTT is available
every day for the strategic air medical
evacuation mission. Oberstabsarzt (Chief
Staff Surgeon) Benedikt Schüller, one of
the Flugbereitschaft’s flight surgeons,
explained: “The medevac Airbus and
its crew are on standby 24/7, 365 days
a year and will take off no later than 24
hours after the alert has been raised.
“That’s normally what happens in the case
of service personnel seriously injured in
battle or ill – who will have already received
first aid on site but urgently need time-
critical additional care in Germany.”
Casualties are looked after by a medical
crew whose composition and size depends
on the transport mission in question. “It
consists of doctors and medical staff under
the direction of a Luftwaffe flight surgeon who
acts as medical director and is supported
by the medical crew chief and the medical
technician,” added Oberstabsarzt Schüller.
The medical technician is responsible for
ensuring that the on-board medical equipment
is fully functional. “A kit with 44 berths
- up to six of which are patient transport
units with full intensive care equipment –
transforms the MRTT into a state-of-the-
art flying intensive care unit,” explained
Hauptfeldwebel (Master Sergeant) Mandy
Wewior, who is responsible for on-board
medical supplies including medication.
She added: “The unbroken emergency
chain has extremely positive psychological
effects on the morale of the troops in
the field. Soldiers can be confident
that if something happens they’ll be
rescued and brought back home.”
The provision of air-to-air refuelling (AAR),
both on exercise and in operations, is also
much in demand. Oberst Neumann explained:
“In 2013 we supported the French Air Force’s
Mali mission from Dakar in Senegal with
an A310 MRTT, and since December 2015
there’s always been one aircraft stationed
at the Turkish base of Incirlik in connection
with Operation Counter-Daesh, as part of
the German contribution to the anti-terror
war against ISIS [so-called Islamic State].”
AAR is carried out using underwing pods
fitted with extendable hoses, enabling two
jets to be refuelled simultaneously. Fuel
flows at up to 2,756lb (1,250kg) per pod per
minute from the converted A310s which,
with three additional tanks, have a fuel
capacity of 70-plus tonnes. The operation
is overseen by the air refuelling officer (ARO)
from a workstation on board the MRTT.
The days of the Flugbereitschaft A310 fleet
are, however, numbered. Combining forces
with other NATO nations, it will be replaced
by eight A330 MRTTs to equip a Multinational
Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF).
A declaration of intent to this effect was
signed by German defence minister Ursula
von der Leyen in Brussels in February.
Five A330 MRTTs will be based at Eindhoven
and three at Cologne, where one aircraft will
continue on alert in a medevac configuration.New additions
Meanwhile a used A321 is due to be added
to the Flugbereitschaft inventory this year
(see also Manching magicians, May, p94-
97). “Its range and passenger capacitywill effectively supplement our fleet in the
segment between the A340 and A319, and
we’ll also be able to use it at smaller regional
airports,” explained Oberst Neumann.
This year is also expected to see the
addition of a third A319: equipped with state-
of-the-art reconnaissance technology, it
will operate as an ‘Open Skies’ platform for
surveillance flights, contributing to confidence-
building and conflict prevention in Europe.
Since the A319 and A340 are of a similar
design, their pilots have type ratings for
both aircraft. “The A321 will be added
in the same way,” said the Oberst.
The cabin personnel assigned to the
White Fleet – 72 female and 52 male
Lufttransportbegleiter (air transport attendants),
including 21 civilians – are also trained on
both Airbus types. A total of 106 pilots and
seven AROs complete the Flugbereitschaft’s
flying personnel, which numbers around
1,150 military and civilian staff.
Most of these personnel will be relocated
in the future, and once the long-delayed
Berlin-Brandenburg Airport has opened,
the White Fleet will move to the capital city
together with all its logistical elements.
Oberst Neumann noted: “There, we will need
a protocol building, aprons, hangars and more,
but start of construction depends on handover
of the site by the Flughafen Berlin-Brandenburg
corporation – and that hasn’t yet happened.
“As a result, we’ll need a temporary solution
in the airport’s former cargo area to ensure we
can provide an unbroken air transport service
for our political and parliamentary clientele.”
That’s imperative, as German president
Frank-Walter Steinmeier explained on
his last trip as foreign minister: “Without
the Flugbereitschaft we simply couldn’t
perform our role in the world.”Above: The Global 5000 is equipped with a VIP cabin for smaller delegations. Serial 14+02 (c/n 9404) is
one of four on strength. Below: Luftwaffe A319-133X 15+02 (c/n 4060, ex D-AVYN) taxies to take-off. In
the background is the tower of Cologne Bonn Airport.AFM