26 February 2008
In February, the German Air Force Eurofighters of Fighter Wing 74 (JG 74) passed the important 1,000 flight-hour mark. At the wing's Neuburg base, a significant milestone was thus reached on the way towards this fighter aircraft entering full operational service with the Luftwaffe.
"We have now been flying Eurofighter for a year and a half without a single incident or accident," emphasized Air Commodore Uwe Klein of JG 74 after the milestone flight. The pilots that have converted to Eurofighter are already handling the advanced fighter with "great confidence", continued the Air Commodore.
By the middle of the year, it is planned to replace the German F-4F Phantom II fighters of JG 74 with Eurofighters for the wing's air policing and Quick Action Alert (QRA) assignments. To date, mixed flight operations using both aircraft types have been staged at JG 74. The Eurofighter aircraft at Neuburg have already successfully flown trial QRA missions.
JG 74 is the first operational unit in Germany to be equipped with Eurofighter. The training of Germany's and Austria's Eurofighter pilots is taking place at Fighter Wing 73 "Steinhoff" on the Baltic. By the end of January, the Eurofighter air forces in five nations had already logged more than 32,200 flight hours.
Contact:
| Wolfram Wolff |
Tel.: +49 (0)89.607.25711 mailto: wolfram.wolff@eads.com |
