Air Defender 2023

[Herby]

C-17A 03-3123 of 167.AW, 167.AS, West Virginia ANG is en route to Jagel for some kind of landing/taxying/take-off trials in advance of Air Defender 2023.

[Antheii]

Below page was published (updated?) yesterday;
https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/organisati ... ni-5581138

It speaks of up to 210 participating aircraft, and 18 participating countries (although not all 18 will be sending aircraft I assume).
Only the US is mentioned specifically, with 100 aircraft attending - from 35 different states.

Other airbases used for this exercise, which I have not seen being mentioned here;
Laage
Spangdahlem
Volkel
Čáslav

One of the USAF/ANG units to participate, is the 127W (MI ANG), which I guess will be with their A-10's (107FS), as no KC-135's have been mentioned.
see https://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Di ... structure/

[Canberra TT.18]

Volkel is one of two air bases outside Germany which will be used.
But the Netherlnds is not in the list of 18 participating countries!?

Odd

[Herby]

Some more additions/corrections for Air Defender. The problem is, many more nations are in the list now and obviously the ANG contingent could therefore become smaller or move to another place. There are not enough active air bases in Germany.

RAF should take part with Typhoon FGA.4.
22 F-15 (three different ANGs) are planned for Hohn now.
Finnish AF F-18 are planned for Hohn.
Vermont ANG F-35 should go to Spangdahlem.
Four different ANG A-10 should take part.

Belgian F-16, Dutch F-35, Czech Gripen and Danish F-16 will obviously operate from their homebases. Denmark and the Netherlands are not in the official list.

Laage and Nörvenich will participate with their two wing (31/33 and 71/73) contingent.

[TF-104G]

I heard about four USAF E-3s for Geilenkirchen.

[TF-104G]

More Info : https://www.hlb-info.de/sites/default/f ... QVNe9kqXjM

[GIPS]

8 x F-16 USAF = 175th FS
8 x F-15 = 131st FS
6 x F-15 = 194th FS
8 x F-15 = 122nd FS
4 x A-10 = 104th FS
4 x A-10 = 107th FS
6 x A-10 = 163rd FS
4 x A-10 = 190th FS
6 x F-35 = 315th FS
2 x KC-46 = 133rd ARS

[jp 74]

More Info : https://www.hlb-info.de/sites/default/f ... QVNe9kqXjM

mooie lijst!

[wolfhound32fs]

Thanks everyone for sharing all the info, much appreciated!

[Ronaldsnl]

More Info : https://www.hlb-info.de/sites/default/f ... QVNe9kqXjM

Only flying activity in the morning? See one of the last sheets.

Thnx for the info!!

Ronald

[Worldnis]

8 x F-16 USAF = 175th FS
8 x F-15 = 131st FS
6 x F-15 = 194th FS
8 x F-15 = 122nd FS
4 x A-10 = 104th FS
4 x A-10 = 107th FS
6 x A-10 = 163rd FS
4 x A-10 = 190th FS
6 x F-35 = 315th FS
2 x KC-46 = 133rd ARS

Good to see so many different units participating. With ANG F-15s participating in Frisian Flag, we're a little spoiled on those, however A-10s bring them on! However, in preparing for this large exercise I saw a media flurry around 122FW /163FS who are replacing their A-10s with F-16s. As posted on 122FW socials mid-January 2023 it also mentioned their last exercise with the A-10 in February. So I expect no 'IN' A-10s at Schleswig.

122ND FIGHTER WING SLATED FOR F-16 CONVERSION
FORT WAYNE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ind. – The 122nd Fighter Wing (FW) has been officially approved for conversion to the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft in accordance with the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA was passed by U.S. Congress and then signed into law on Dec. 23, 2022, by President Joe Biden, setting events in motion to replace the 122nd FW’s 21 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft with the F-16.

“We look forward to transitioning to the F-16 aircraft at the 122nd Fighter Wing. This newer more versatile aircraft will provide for an increase in combat capability against growing threats. The men and women of the 122nd Fighter Wing are experts at supporting, maintaining and operating fighter aircraft,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Stohler, commander of the Indiana Air National Guard. “This transition will provide them with longevity and the high probability to later upgrade to the future generation of fighter aircraft.”

[Krazy]

More Info : https://www.hlb-info.de/sites/default/f ... QVNe9kqXjM

Only flying activity in the morning? See one of the last sheets.

Thnx for the info!!

Ronald

That looks like a reservation/announcement for specific training areas to me. Flying in/out of the Baltics and Rumania is also part of the exercise.

[Bunzing]

More Info : https://www.hlb-info.de/sites/default/f ... QVNe9kqXjM

Only flying activity in the morning? See one of the last sheets.

Thnx for the info!!

Ronald

Bear in mind that local time in the summer in Central Europe is UTC +2, so this is 10.30 to 13.30 LT. So more like mid-day missions.

[Herby]

Obviously the four in official papers mentioned US Navy F/A-18 should also operate from Jagel.

Because of the building up of a tent/container camp outside the base on the grass area at the eastern crash gate at Jagel it is not known if this area is accessible for spotters at all.

[Herby]

In this writing to the German Aero Clubs the different exercise areas are visible and the three different missions flown per day. The last landing could be around 20.00h local in the evening.

Two COMAOs could be flown (morning and evening) and one Non-COMAO (midday).

https://www.aeroclub-nrw.de/wp-content/ ... fender.pdf