Luftwaffe plans 24 Eurofighters for Holloman AFB training

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http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_19493765

More planes set to arrive

German air force plans to bring 24 Eurofighter jets for training at Holloman
Alamogordo Daily News
By Laura London, Staff Writer

Posted: 12/07/2011 09:57:27 PM MST

The German air force plans to bring a new plane to Holloman Air Force Base on which to train, according to Col. Frank Kiesel, commander of the German Air Force Flying Training Center, who came to the regular Alamogordo City Commission meeting Tuesday to make the announcement.

Kiesel said the German airmen at the GAFFTC train to fly the Phantom and Tornado, but the German air force plans to move Eurofighter training to Holloman as well.

Kiesel said the German air force is restructuring. The German air force has been training pilots in the U.S. since 1958, and at Holloman since 1992.

Kiesel said the GAFFTC currently has more than 600 airmen at the base, plus their dependents. He said the GAFFTC graduates 30 to 40 students per year.

Kiesel said GAFFTC instructors are usually assigned to Holloman for three years and often request to return because they like the Tularosa Basin.

"The German air force has a long future at Holloman," Kiesel said.

Kiesel estimated the Eurofighter will increase personnel at the GAFFTC by 30 to 40. He said 24 Eurofighters are planned to locate at Holloman.

Kiesel said he could not commit to a timeline for when the Eurofighter will arrive at Holloman. It will first go to bases in Germany, then come for training here.
He said the German military still has decisions to make, and infrastructure must be built at the GAFFTC to accommodate the new plane.

"It may take a while," Kiesel said, referring to when the planes will start arriving.

Robert Rentschler asked if the Germans will keep training on the Tornado here also, and Kiesel affirmed that the GAFFTC will be training on both the Tornado and Eurofighter.

He said the Germans will use the Tornado until 2025, although he couldn't say for certain if it would be at Holloman that long.

He said the memorandum of understanding the Germans have with Holloman for Tornado training is good until 2019.

Commissioner Aaron Rance asked if the GAFFTC will get remotely piloted aircraft. Kiesel said they would -- in fact, he said they may get the Reaper but there has been no decision yet.

Mayor Ron Griggs thanked Kiesel for stopping by and welcomed him to return in the future. He said Alamogordo has experienced a lot of growth since the Germans came to Holloman, and a significant portion of that growth can likely be attributed to the GAFFTC.