Joint Support for Eurofighter and Tornado Operations
As increasing attention is paid to securing NATO’s eastern flank – or in deploying to the other side of the world – the German Air Force and Airbus have collaborated for 20 years at Manching to support the nation’s Eurofighter aircraft.
“Our claim at Airbus is to always be on mission for our customers,” explained Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, at an anniversary event on 8 May. “‘Always on’ for us means doing everything necessary to ensure that our customers have the best equipment to fulfill their mission: to defend our values, freedom and democracy. The close cooperation between the German Air Force and Airbus in Manching is a shining example of how much our cooperation model has established and proven itself over the past two decades. We count on each other – also in the future”.
Lt Gen Dr Ansgar Rieks, Deputy Inspector of the Luftwaffe, added “Manching is exemplary for the efficient cooperation between the German armed forces and defence industry […] Our cooperation is characterised by the clear understanding that we – Air Force and industry – are committed to joint success […] for our country, the Alliance and our allies and partners”.
The collaboration kicked off in 2003 when the Eurofighter Cooperation Cell (EKZ) was established. Since then, service and Airbus personnel have pursued the common mission of ensuring that Germany’s Eurofighters are ready for action when and where needed. To date, EKZ teams have performed some 350 Eurofighter inspections and repairs and 1,000 customer service calls. Over the past two decades, they have increased fleet availability and is now covering the increased inspection demand stemming from increased flight-hours during the Ukraine war.
The parties also established the Eurofighter System Support Center (SUZ EF) in 2003, providing technical and in-service support via a user help desk and in-system analysis for technical issues arising from Eurofighter operations, 24/7 if required. The unit also takes care of Eurofighter software maintenance and modifications for the entire weapon system. This also applies to software and hardware components that were not originally part of the German share in development: over 40 such national modifications have already been integrated into the German Eurofighter fleet, in order to respond independently and directly to operational requirements.
In 2022, the SUZ EF supported the Luftwaffe’s first deployment of a Eurofighter contingent to the Indo-Pacific region. The mission was a complete success: after 40,000km per aircraft, 700 flight hours and more than 500 air refuellings, all six Eurofighters returned safely to home base.
The team also ensures operational readiness for the Luftwaffe’s Tornado fleet through the Tornado SUZ, established in 2004, that develops and maintains software for avionics, mission evaluation and the Electronic Combat Centre. The Tornado Cooperation Cell (established in 2014) takes care of maintenance work, extensive major overhauls and service life-extension (SLE) measures.
