“Air Defenders” is set to become the largest air operations exercise in NATO’s history. At German air traffic control in Langen, the wires are already running hot.
Frankfurt – The Bundeswehr describes the Air Defender 2023 exercise as “the largest air operations exercise in NATO’s history”. Airspace over Hesse around The airport is Frankfurt plays an important role.
The Bundeswehr wrote on its website that 210 aircraft or fighters from the 18 participating countries will then be in the air, of which the United States alone will provide 100 machines. An announcement reads: “For the military exercise ‘Air Defender 2023’, areas with flight restrictions and danger zones will be temporarily defined in Langen, Bremen and Munich and in the air information areas above Hanover and the Rhine. .”
DFS in Langen: First simulation indicates significant effects
In this event, large areas of airspace, including Hesse around Frankfurt Airport, are reserved for the military. Less space is available for civil aviation. “Our civil customers should expect long flight paths and significant delays,” writes German air traffic control (DFS) based in Langen (Offenbach district) when asked. Although military aircraft are not monitored by DFS during operations, specialists at the control center face exceptional tasks when coordinating civil aviation.
According to the first simulation, a spokesperson for DFS said the effects on passenger flights were “significant”. “Two more simulations will follow in April, from which we expect more in-depth details. We are sharing all findings with airlines and airports. We cannot yet predict how badly airports like Frankfurt Airport will be affected. Due to the very close time frame, Europe’s other major airports in Frankfurt Disruptions in stations can also cause confusion in flight schedules.
Air Defender 2023: The airspace over Hesse is affected
German airspace is divided into areas known as flight information areas, which are assigned to radar control centers. Within the hubs, each flight information section is divided into sections. Air Information Area Langen monitors a roughly defined area from Kassel/Siegen to the north, the French state border to the west, Lake Constance to the south, and parts of Thuringia to the east. At the heart of the region is Frankfurt Airport.
What is BDL?
The Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry (BDL) was founded in 2010. It is open to all German companies and aviation associations and serves as a collective representation of the interests of the German aviation industry. He serves as a central liaison to politicians, the media and the public, and as a mouthpiece for relevant organizations and associations. Its member groups are divided into airlines, airports, air traffic control, manufacturers and other service providers. BDL’s members include airlines Eurowings, Lufthansa and Condor, DHL’s European Aviation Leipzig GmbH, BER Airport and DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung.
The German Air Force plays an important role in summer training. Air combat operations are rehearsed but are defensive in nature. According to the Bundeswehr, “air responsiveness and collective strength” are trained during defense exercises. The north, south and east are particularly affected by the maneuver, while central and western Germany are less affected.
According to the Bundeswehr, the participating countries will mainly operate from the following locations:
- Jackel/Hon in Schleswig-Holstein
- Location in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Wunsdorf in Lower Saxony
- Lechfeld in Bayern
- Spangdahlem in Rhineland-Palatinate
- Volkel in the Netherlands
- Čáslav in Tschechien
Participating countries are Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary, USA, United Kingdom.
(esa)
In August, a member of the US military organized a police operation at Frankfurt Airport.
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