Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51

Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 "Immelmann" (Tactical Air Force Wing 51 "Immelmann"), formerly known as Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 (Reconnaissance Wing), is a tactical reconnaissance wing of the German Air Force.

Tactical Air Force Wing 51
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 "Immelmann"
Active1 July 1992–present
Country Germany
Branch German Air Force
Role
  • Tactical Reconnaissance
  • Naval warfare
  • SEADS
Part ofKommando 4. Luftwaffendivision
(4th Air Force Division)
Garrison/HQSchleswig Air Base, Jagel and Kropp, Schleswig-Holstein
PatronMax Immelmann
Commanders
Current
commander		Oberst Conrath
Notable
commanders		Walter Grasemann
Aircraft flown
ReconnaissanceFormerly: McDonnell Douglas RF4-E Phantom II
Present: Panavia Tornado

In the beginning of the 1990s, the German Air Force disbanded its two reconnaissance air wings (Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 in Bremgarten and Aufklärungsgeschwader 52 in Leck) and phased out their RF-4Es. At the same time, the German Navy made the decision to disband one of its two Tornado fighter-bomber wings. A new dedicated tactical reconnaissance air wing was needed, so in 1992 the Tornado IDS aircraft and manpower of the 1st Flying Squadron of the Navy's MFG-1 together with the Jagel Air Base were transferred to the Air Force to form the new wing under the interim designation Air Force Tornado Wing Jagel. The 2nd Flying Squadron became the third Tornado squadron in the Navy's single remaining fighter-bomber air wing - the MFG-2 at Tarp-Eggebek. A year later in 1993 the wing took over the 51st Reconnaissance Wing (Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 (AG-51)) designation and the honorary name of World War I German flying ace Max Immelmann.

After the German Navy disbanded its fighter-bomber aviation in 2005, the AG 51 took over the maritime strike role. A further reduction of the German Air Force saw the specialized Suppression Of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) role and Tornado ECR aircraft of the disbanded JBG-32 in Lechfeld in 2013 transferred to AG-51. The disbandment of Tornado tactical flying training in the US rounded out the wing's current mission package of tactical reconnaissance, electronic warfare, maritime strike and Tornado flying training.

The wing operates 25 Panavia Tornado aircraft in the tactical reconnaissance role and has two reconnaissance ground stations that can be deployed on overseas operations. The Tornado aircraft are equipped with reconnaissance sensors that are carried in a pod mounted under the fuselage. Depending on the variant used, the reconnaissance pod with optical and infrared sensors, can reconnoiter targets both day and night.

In 2007, to support NATO coalition operations across Afghanistan, Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" deployed Tornados to Mazar-i-Sharif, Northern Afghanistan.[1]

On 1 October 2013, the unit was renamed in the course of adaptations to the new structure of the German Air Force from Reconnaissance Wing to Tactical Air Force Wing.[2]

Tasks

Originally a pure reconnaissance wing, AG 51 took over the role of naval air warfare in 2005 when Germany's Naval Air Wing 2 was disbanded. The role of Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses was inherited in April 2013 from Jagdbombergeschwader 32 when the latter unit was disbanded.[3]

  • An RF-4E Phantom II of AG 51 and two U.S. Air Force F-15A Eagles in flight over Germany
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References
  1. "Geschichte", Das Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 (in German), Federal Ministry of Defence, 7 August 2012, retrieved 17 March 2013
  2. Schwarz, Karl (20 September 2013). "Luftwaffe: Verbände in 'Taktische Lufwaffengeschwader' umbenannt" [Luftwaffe: units renamed to 'Tactical Air Force Wings']. Flug Revue (in German). Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  3. "Der Auftrag" [The Task]. German Air Force. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2014.

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