List of active equipment of the German Air Force

This list intends to give an accurate detail list of the equipment currently fielded by the German Air Force.

Current inventory
Aircraft Origin Image Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Eurofighter Typhoon  Germany Italy Spain UK Interceptor T1 33
Swingrole T2 79
Swingrole T3 31
Panavia Tornado  Germany Italy UK multirole IDS 68 [1]
Panavia Tornado  Germany Italy UK SEAD / ECR (Electronic Combat Reconnaissance) ECR 21 [1]
Military Transport / Aerial Refueling
Airbus A400M  Europe tactical airlifter / aerial refueling A400M 40 13 additional still on order[2]
Lockheed Martin C-130J  United States tactical airlifter C-130J-30 3 [3]
 United States tactical airlifter / aerial refueling KC-130J-30 1 2 additional to be delivered on order [4]
Helicopter
Airbus Helicopters H145  Germany light utility H145M 15 German Air Force as a special forces transport helicopter and has been configured to support their missions both during the day and night.

Flown by Special Forces Command [1]

Eurocopter AS532  France VIP transport AS532 U2 3 [5]
Sikorsky CH-53  United States transport CH-53G 66 [6]
Trainer aircraft
Grob G 120  Germany basic trainer G 120A / G 120TP 6 / 5 [7] / [7]
Northrop T-38  United States jet trainer T-38C [8]
UAVs
IAI Heron  Israel surveillance Heron 1 5[9] to be replaced by Heron TP[9]
IAI Heron  Israel surveillance and combat Heron TP (Eitan) 5[9] 5 on order[9]
"White Fleet"
Airbus A319  Europe VIP transport A319CJ 2 Passenger and material transport, strategic patient air transport or flights within the framework of arms control[5]
Open Skies A319OH 1 The new observation platform OH ("Offener Himmel" = "Open Sky") is equipped with electro-optical sensors, an EO-S/digital camera and an infrared sensor (IR-S) based on an A319CJ from Lufthansa Technik.[10]
Airbus A321  Europe VIP, troops transport A321-200 1 [5]
Airbus A321neo  Europe Transport and

MEDEVAC

 A321LR 2 [11]
Airbus A350  Europe VIP, troops transport ACJ350 3 [12][13]
Bombardier Global 5000 Canada Canada VIP transport Global 5000 3 [5]
Bombardier Global 6000 Canada Canada VIP transport Global 6000 3 [14][15][5]

Collaborations with German Air Force Participation
Aircraft Origin Operator Image Type Variant In service Notes
Airbus A330  Europe MMF

(Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet)

Belgium Belgium

Czech Republic Czechia

Germany Germany

Luxembourg Luxembourg

Netherlands Netherlands

Norway Norway

 Tanker

Cargo transport

Passenger transport

Medical evacuation

 A330 MRTT 7 3 on order, the last one to be delivered in 2026
Boeing E-3 Sentry  United States NAEW&CF program

(NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force)

 NATO

Belgium Belgium

Canada Canada

Czech Republic Czechia

Germany Germany

Greece Greece

Hungary Hungary  

Italy IItaly  

Luxembourg Luxembourg

Netherlands  Netherlands

Poland Poland

Portugal Portugal

Romania Romania

Turkey Turkey

United States USAF

Spain Spain

Norway Norway

Denmark Denmark

 AEW&C

(Airborne early warning and control)

 E-3A 14 18 aircraft used initially [1]
Northrop Grumman - RQ-4 Global Hawk  United States AGS

(Alliance Ground Surveillance)

 NATO

Bulgaria Bulgaria

Czech Republic Czechia

Estonia Estonia

Germany Germany

Italy IItaly  

Latvia Latvia

Lithuania Lithuania  

Luxembourg Luxembourg

Poland Poland

Romania Romania

Slovakia Slovakia

Slovenia Slovenia

United Kingdom UK

United States USAF

Norway Norway

Denmark Denmark

 UAV HALE /

ISR /

Combat

 RQ-4D Phoenix

(Block 40)

 5

Note, NHV provides the H145 rotorcraft training[16][17]

Armament

Panavia Tornado IDS variant

The IDS standard variant is a strike aircraft. The Recce sub-variant can perform all tasks of the IDS, and is capable of performing reconnaissance missions with a pod. This variant has a modified cockpit cabling and a different cockpit display (ASSTA-1 modernisation).[18]

Tornado ECR

An electronic warfare and SEAD / DEAD aircraft [18].

Eurofighter T1

Eurofighter T2, T3 and T4

Complementary elements for some weapons

Conventional Guided bombs:

Air Defence Systems

Situation in April 2022
Model Image Origin Type Number Notes
MIM-104 Patriot

Mobile and Protected Signals Intelligence

  Germany

 United States

 SAM 11 During Cold War, Germany had 36 Patriot systems in service.

In April 2023:

  • 11 systems in service [29]
  • 1 from the storage delivered to Ukraine in April 2023, PAC-3 variant [30]

The systems in service are upgraded to PAC-3 standard, and it is equipped with PAC-2 and PAC-3 CRI missiles in service. Germany has also PAC-3 MSE and PAC-2 GEM-T missiles on order. Among the systems in service:

  • 1 deployed in Slovakia since March 2022 to compensate for the transfer of the S300 air defense system to Ukraine.
  • 3 have been in Poland since January 2023 following the November 2022 missile explosion in Poland, at the border with Ukraine.

In April 2023, Germany announced its intention to remove its support by the end of the year. Some maintenance is required on those systems.[31]

The existing PAC2 missiles ave a service life limited to 2030.[32]

Ozelot

LeFlaSys (leichtes Flugabwehrsystem)

 FlaRaWaTrg:

AFF:

  Germany

 United States

 Light SHORAD 67 vehicles System based on Wiesel 2 vehicles, composed of the variants:
  • 10 BF/UF ("FlaFührung"), platoon command posts
  • 7 AFF radar and fire control posts equipped with a 3D radar, a IFF system and a command system
  • 50 FlaRaWaTrg weapon carriers equipped with 3FIM-92 Stinger missiles (+ 4 in storage)

Operated by the 3rd Squadron of 61 Surface-to-Air Missile Group. A standard battery is made of

  • 1 AFF [33]
  • 1 BF/UF
  • 5-8 FlaRaWaTrg

Radar systems
Model Image Origin Type Quantity Notes
Ground Master 406F  France United States Early Warning (EW) Radar /

AESA Radar

 6 Modified variant of the GM400 for the German forces, for a fixed radar system.

Operated by the "Operational Command Service" of the Luftwaffe (EinsFüDstLw).

Manufactured by Thales Raytheon Systems.[34]

HADR NF  Germany Israel 3D radar /

Long range air surveillance /

Active Phased Array Radar

 4
RRP 117  United States 3D radar /

Long range air surveillance /

Active Phased Array Radar

 8 Under radome, in service since 1998
Selex RAT-31DL Italy IItaly L-band solid state phased array /

3D surveillance radar

 2 500 km range https://electronics.leonardo.com/en/products/rat-31dl
Hensoldt’s ASR-S

(Illustration image)

  Germany Airport surveillance radar 20 Radar used for:
  • approach control at the airfields
  • airspace surveillance in order to coordinate and integrate the military movements within the civilian traffic (100 km radius)[35]
Model Image Origin Type Quantity Notes
TACAN — Tactical air navigation — [36]

Future equipment for the German Air Force

Aircraft
Aircraft Origin Image Type Variant Ordered Notes
Combat Aircraft
Eurofighter Typhoon  France Germany Italy Spain Swingrole T4 38 [37]
SEAD / ECR (Electronic Combat Reconnaissance) ECR 15 - 30 [38][39]
Lockheed Martin F-35  United States multirole / nuclear deterrent bomber F-35A 35 [40]

Purchased to continue German contribution to the Nuclear sharing B61-12

Helicopter
Boeing

CH-47 Chinook

  United States transport CH-47F Block II 60 [41]
UAVs
Eurodrone  France Germany Italy Spain surveillance, reconnaissance and combat — 21 7 systems on contract with 21 drones for €3 billion[42][43]
SIGINT
PegasusBased onBombardier Global 6000 Canada Canada Note: illustration image Surveillance Global 6000 3 Ordered in 2021, to enter service by 2025 and replace the Eurohawk[14][15][5]

F-35 (future equipment)

Future aircraft for the German Air Force, to take over the nuclear deterrence mission.

Eurofighter ECR

Purchases confirmed
System Program participants Image Origin Type Number Notes
Arrow 3 —  Israel United States Anti-ballistic missile 3 The sale has been approved by Israel and the USA.

The contract cost is $3.5 billion and Germany already paid a $600 million initial payment [48][49]

MIM-104 Patriot

Part of the ESSI

  Belgium

 Bulgaria

 Czech Republic

 Estonia

 Finland

 Germany

 Hungary

 Latvia

 Lithuania

 Netherlands

 Romania

 Slovakia

 Slovenia

 Sweden

 United Kingdom

 Denmark

 Norway

  Germany

 United States

 SAM /Anti-ballistic missile Unknown The existing PAC-2 missiles are reaching the end of their service life in 2030. The German Air Force is planning to use the Patriot Air Defense System until 2048.

The new missiles GEM-T will reinforce the capability of the German Air force, and link the range gap between the Arrow 3 and the IRIS-T SLM.[50]

IRIS-T SL

Part of the ESSI

 Germany Tactical air defense system 6 [51] The PAC-3 MSE missile is expected to be supplemented by IRIS-T SLM as secondary missile for ground-based medium range air defense. It is based on the IRIS-T air-to-air missile[52] equipped with an enlarged rocket motor, datalink, and jettisonable drag-reducing nose cone.[53]

The radar system expected is the Hensoldt TRML-4D, and it should be supported by the Integrated Battle Management Software Fire Control System (IBMS-FS) by Airbus.

Six batteries are purchased for €950 million and the delivery will start from 2024,[54] 8 in total are expected eventually.

Potential future equipment

The equipment mentioned here is part of the program NNbS, ("Nah- und Nächstbereichs-schutz"), close air-support for the ground troops. At the moment, no decision has been made regarding the operator of those systems, it could go to the Bundeswehr or the Luftwaffe. In 2010, the German forces decided to retire the last 90 Flakpanzer Gepard. In 2012, the air defense of the Bundeswehr was completely disbanded. The Luftwaffe was to support the German forces with their Wiesel 2 Ozelot, and German soldiers had access to FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS.

This equipment described below is the most likely candidates that have been mentioned by the German military and by the German defence industry. More details can be found on the page "List of modern equipment of the German Army".

System Image Notes
IRIS-T SLS Mk III ARGE NNbS (joint venture including Diehl Defence, Rheinmetall Electronics and Hensoldt Sensors) offered the following solution for the "Surface-to-air missile / SHORAD" phase of the program:[55]
Skyranger 30

NNbS program (Nah- und Nächstbereichs-schutz)

 Rheinmetall Air Defense offers this Boxer 8x8 equipped with an Oerlikon Skyranger 30 turret for the "SHORAD / C-RAM" phase of the program:[56]

Weapons:

Sensors

  • S-band AESA Multi-Mission Radar (AMMR) by Rheinmetall Italia
  • FIRST ("Fast InfraRed Search and Track")
  • TREO compact target tracker (1 HD cooled MWIR thermal camera, 1 HD camera
  • two laser rangefinders, one for air targets one for land targets

See also

References
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  3. "Germany's third C-130J delivered". scramble.nl. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  4. admin (2023-01-28). "Lockheed Martin Rolls Out First KC-130J Tanker and Transport Aircraft for German Air Force". MilitaryLeak. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
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  6. "Rheinmetall now providing support and maintenance for German Air Force CH-53G transport helicopters at all bases" (Press release). Rheinmetall. 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  7. "FLEET CUSTOMERS". Grob Aircraft. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  8. "Die Northrop T-38C Talon". Bundeswehr. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  9. "Neue Planungen zu bewaffneten und bewaffnungsfähigen Drohnen" (PDF). Deutscher Bundestag (in German). 2018-03-06. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  10. "Open Skies". BMVg (in German). Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  11. "Das BAAINBw übernimmt zweiten Airbus A321LR für die Bundeswehr". Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (in German). 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  12. Pallini, Thomas (2020-08-23). "Germany just took delivery of its new VIP plane that will fly the country's top government officials – take a look". Business Insider. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  13. "Germany Takes Delivery Of Its 1st Fully Equipped Government Airbus A350". simpleflying.com. 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2022-11-16.
  14. "Germany to regain SIGINT capability with new Pegasus fleet". Flight Global. 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
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  16. "NHV awarded H145 service contract by German Air Force". NHV. 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  17. "Sieben Tankflugzeuge Airbus A330 MRTT für die NATO". Bundeswehr Journal. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  18. "Tornado". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  19. "Bordkanone Mauser 27 Millimeter". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  20. "AIM-9L Sidewinder". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  21. "Luft-Luft-Rakete AIM-120 AMRAAM". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  22. "Luft-Luft-Rakete IRIS-T AIM-2000". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  23. "Rakete METEOR". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  24. "Bombe GBU-48". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). 2020-01-22. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  25. "Lenkflugkörper Taurus KEPD-350". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). 2019-08-07. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  26. "Neue Anti-Radar-Lenkflugkörper AGM-88E2 für Luftwaffe -..." bundeswehr-journal. 2021-11-28. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
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  45. Valpolini, Paolo (2019-11-16). "The Eurofighter ECR and the Luftwaffe Electronic Attack concept". EDR Magazine. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
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  49. https://www.radartutorial.eu/19.kartei/06.missile/pubs/29117.pdf
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  52. "IRIS-T Guided Missile Family IRIS-T SL". Archived from the original on 2013-01-13.
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Further reading

Hundreds of books, magazines and articles have been written about the Luftwaffe. A select few are listed here.

  • Amadio, Jill (2002), Günther Rall: A Memoir, Seven Locks Press. ISBN 0-9715533-0-0.
  • Philpott, Bryan (1986), History of the German Air Force, Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-50293-7.
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