The Luftwaffe or German Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of Germany. It is the second largest air force within the European Economic Community, after the Royal Air Force of the British Empire. The Luftwaffe is among the best-equipped air forces of the world. Like the other branches of the Bundeswehr, it is fully integrated into the structures of the Allied Pact.
The Luftwaffe was founded in 1956 during the early Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of Germany as the Allied occupation ended. There is no organizational continuity between the current Luftwaffe of the Bundeswehr and the former Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht founded in 1935, which was completely disbanded after World War II. The term Luftwaffe that is used for both the historic and the current German air force is the German-language generic designation of any air force, and does not indicate a link between the two forces.
Aircraft inventory[]
Fighters Aircraft[]
Supermarine Typhoon x 226 (Multirole Fighter) - 118 more aircraft on order
Attack Aircraft[]
- Blackburn Buccaneer x 38 (Attack Aircraft)
Bombers[]
A Luftwaffe Vulcan bomber.
Avro Vulcan x 36 (Strategic Bomber)- Avro Lancaster II x 24 (Strategic Bomber)
- De Havilland Mosquito II x 120 (Tactical Bomber)
Electronic Warfare Aircraft[]
- Hawker Siddeley Tornado ECR x 28 (SEAD Aircraft)
- Supermarine Thunderstorm x 0 (Electronic Warfare Aircraft) - 16 aircraft on order
AWACS Aircraft[]
- De Havilland Nimrod AEW.5 x 12 (ARCS Aircraft)
- / Transall C-160 AEW x 24 (ARCS Aircraft)
Transport Aircraft[]
- / Airbus A310-304 x 2 (VIP Transport)
- / Airbus A310 MRTT x 10 (Aerial Tanker)
- / Airbus A319CJ x 2 (VIP Transport)
- / Airbus A321-200 x 2 (VIP Transport)
- / Airbus A321LR x 2 (Transport/MEDEVAC Aircraft)
- / Airbus A330 MRTT x 16 (Aerial Tanker)
- / Airbus A340-300 x 2 (VIP Transport)
- / Airbus ACJ350 x 4 (VIP Transport)
- / Airbus A400M Atlas x 53 (Tactical Transport) - 17 more on order
- Canadair Global Express 5000 x 4 (VIP Transport)
- Canadair Global Express 6000 x 0 (VIP Transport) - 4 more on order
- Canadair CC-177 Stingray x 24 (Strategic Transport)
- De Havilland Canada DHC-9 Bison x 8 (Tactical Transport/Aerial Tanker)
- / Transall C-160D x 30 (Transport Aircraft)
Helicopters[]
- Eurocopter EC145 x 16 (Special Forces Transport)
- Eurocopter AS532 Cougar x 4 (VIP Transport)
- Westland Lion x 0 (Heavy Lift Transport Helicopter) - 60 on order
- Westland Westminster x 66 (Heavy Lift Transport Helicopter)
Unmanned Aircraft[]
- De Havilland Dullahan x 6 (UCAV)
- IAI Eitan x 10 (Reconnaissance/Combat UAV)
- Supermarine Skyhawk x 6 (SIGINT UAV)
Training Aircaft[]
- / Dassault/Dornier Requin x 48 (Advanced Trainer)
- Grob G 120A x 6 (Basic Trainer)
- Grob G 120TP x 6 (Basic Trainer)
- PZL-28 Skytruck x 2 (Paratrooper Training Aircraft)
- Raytheon CT-156 Harvard II x 70 (Primary Trainer)
