Marineflieger

The Marinefliegerkommando is the naval air arm of the German Navy.

Naval Air Command
Marinefliegerkommando
Insignia of the Marinefliegerkommando
Founded1956
Country Germany
BranchGerman Navy
TypeNaval aviation
Size2,500 personnel
57 aircraft
Part ofGerman Navy
Garrison/HQNordholz Naval Airbase
Website
Commanders
Kommandeur des MarinefliegerkommandosKapitän zur See Thorsten Bobzin
Insignia
Roundel
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
AttackSea Lynx Mk 88 A
P-3C Orion
PatrolSea King Mk 41
Sea Lynx Mk 88 A
P-3C Orion
ReconnaissanceP-3C Orion
Dornier 228 LM
TrainerH135
TransportSea King Mk 41
Sea Lynx Mk 88 A

History

During the First World War, naval aviators were part of the Kaiserliche Marine. Between the wars, naval aviation, the Seeflieger was absorbed by Goering's Luftwaffe in 1935. It almost came into existence when the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin was laid down in 1936, but lack of suitable aircraft, coupled with the reluctance of the Luftwaffe to support the Kriegsmarine in the carrier's construction, culminated in its eventual cancellation in 1943, and all anti-ship operations were transferred to the Luftwaffe shortly afterwards .

After the Second World War, it was not until West Germany's entry into NATO in the 1950s and the establishment of the Bundesmarine, that a naval aviation force (Marineflieger) was formed.

The British were largely instrumental in creation of the Marineflieger, supplying training and aircraft. A number of Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) officers operated as part of the German Navy in the process. The first aircraft included Hawker Sea Hawks which were used by Marinefliegergeschwader 1 and 2 and Fairey Gannets. Until the new bases were ready, pilots were trained with the FAA in the UK.

Aircraft

The Marinefliegerkommando had 2,500 personnel on active duty in 2020.[1] As of 2019, it operates 54 aircraft.[2]

TypeOriginClassRoleIntroducedIn serviceTotalNotes
Sea Falcon Sweden UAV ISR 2 systems on order as a testbed for future UAVs on the corvettes, 8 more planned
Puma AE II United States UAV ISR 2019 6 3 systems with 6 UAVs, dubbed "LARUS" in the German Navy[3]
DJI Phantom 4 China Micro UAV ISR 2017 5 [4]
Dornier 228 LM Germany Propeller Pollution control 1991 2 2[5] [2]
Lockheed P-3 Orion United States Propeller MPA 2006 8 8 [2]
NHI NH90 Sea Lion Germany Rotorcraft ASW/SAR/transport 2018 4 4 14 more on order,[6] replacing the Sea King
NHI NH90 Sea Tiger Germany Rotorcraft ASW 2025 31 on order, replacing the Westland Lynx[7]
Westland Sea Lynx Mk 88 A United Kingdom Rotorcraft Attack/SAR/transport 1981 22 22 [8]
Westland Sea King Mk 41 United Kingdom Rotorcraft SAR/transport 1972 21 22 [2]

The Marinefliegerkommando previously operated the following aircraft:

  • A Tornado IDS at RAF Mildenhall in 1984
  • A Lynx helicopter on the flight deck of a German frigate in 1993
  • A P-3 Orion painted with a special scheme for the 100th anniversary of the Marineflieger
  • A Westland Sea King in 2013
  • A Dornier 228 in 2013

See also

Luftschiffer

References
  1. "Marineflieger im Umbruch" (in German).
  2. "World Air Forces 2019". Flightglobal: 16. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  3. https://www.flugrevue.de/militaer/unbemanntes-fluggeraet-von-aerovironment-puma-ae-fuer-die-marine/
  4. http://dipbt.bundestag.de/doc/btd/19/010/1901082.pdf
  5. http://www.flugrevue.de/militaerluftfahrt/streitkraefte/die-flugzeugflotte-der-bundesmarine-dornier-do-228-212/721768?seite=2
  6. "German navy warns over continued Sea Tiger helicopter procurement delay". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  7. Thomas Wiegold (31 July 2019). "Marine soll NH90-Hubschrauber als Ersatz für SeaLynx bekommen (m. Nachtrag)". Augen geradeaus!. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  8. "Marine-Hubschrauber müssen am Boden bleiben" (in German). 22 September 2014.
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