LUFTWAFFE A400 MILITARY
will match this amount for infrastructure
improvements to the air base. Under this
agreement, Germany will buy six Lockheed
Martin C-130Js for around €828 million starting
in 2019. According to the plan around 250
German personnel will be based at Évreux by
2020 from where they will fly the six German-
marked aircraft. France has already ordered
four Super Hercules and plans to buy two more
for the fleet, which will be operated jointly by
both countries from 2021.
Future
Now tthe main problems have been
overcome, LTG 62 can focus entirely on
making the A400M totally operational.
New aircraft are being added to the fleet,
more crews are being trained and the final
improvements to Wunstorf’s infrastructure
are nearly complete. Chief Master Sergeant
Stephan said: “As for testing, we are ahead
within the EU. Concerning the logistics
phase, we have rounded off all the tests
and have already begun with the tactical
part.” The first flights below 500ft AGL and
with night vision goggles have already been
carried out. Aerial refuelling with wing-tip-
mounted pods and with a centrally mounted
hose-and-drogue system will start this year.
A change in operating procedures means
that flight plans are no longer prepared by
the pilots themselves, but by a separate team
at Wunstorf. The greatest advantage of this
system is the ability to upload the flight plan
anywhere in the world and subsequently
carry out the mission. The TTVG closely
cooperates with Airbus which is assigning
between 40 and 50 staff to Wunstorf.
Cooperation with A400M users is intensifying
and before long German crews will go to
RAF Brize Norton to train with their British
counterparts. The C-160D era is ending. LTG
61 at Landsberg will close before the end
of this year, leaving LTG 63 at the northern
transport base of Hohn as the Luftwaffe’s
only Transall operator, flying till 2022 at the
latest. Although it remains to be seen whether
the 13 redundant A400Ms will find a buyer,
it is beyond doubt that with a fleet of 40
A400Ms and possibly six C-130Js, Germany
will have a state-of-the-art transport fleet
at its disposal. The A400M can carry more
cargo and move it faster than its predecessor.
Its range has increased substantially and
will increase even more when air-to-air
refuelling becomes standard.Commander of Lufttransportgeschwader 62,
Colonel Bette.