The last few years saw a swap in choppers operated by the US Army in the former Yugoslavia via Coleman Barracks in january/february. Does anyone know if such thing will happen again this year and when?
According to my information, again (like year year) the US did not change the helicopters deployed in Kosovo, so still the UH-60s bought in about 1.5/2 years ago remain in Kosovo.
Furthermore no helicopter transports have taken place since the CH-47F deliveries to USAREU. I've been in conctact with the shipment company. I had hoped the CH-47Ds were going to be transfered by ship, but these have/will go through Ramstein. I've seen one (89-0142) being loaded aboard a C-17 last week at Ramstein.
During the next 3 years more and more units from the Mannheim area will relocate to Kaiserslautern, Wiesbaden and the maintanance will go to Illesheim/Ansbach. Formal closure is foreseen for 2015.
Nope, the closure of the Coleman Barracks, and all other locations around Mannheim was already decided two years ago. Part of that decision was also the enlargement of Wiesbaden AAF and relocating the US Army command centers to that base.
at the moment some, at least six, apaches are ferried from RMS to Coleman. This morning still four out of six were still present at RMS, with one ferried on friday and one on Saterday.