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ELITE 2007

The exercise ended safe and sound 2007-06-28 around 13:00 and no happening or even accident was to be noted. Thanx to the professionalism of everybody taking part and supporting it!
 
Flying: 14.-28. June 2007, times see below
 
Participants
Like every year also this time the Luftwaffe welcomes participants from many NATO countries with many different airplanes and other weapon systems. The different groups are detached to several airbases in Southern Germany but mainly to Lechfeld. Some participants from France and NATO AWACS fly from their home bases.
Homebase from
Aircraft number and type
detached to
 
NATO, Geilenkirchen 1 x E-3F, AEW    
Norwegen, 717 Sqdn 2 x DA-20 Lechfeld  
Deutschland, MFG 3, Nordholz 1 x BR 1150    
Schweiz 4 x F-18 Ingolstadt  
Deutschland, JG 71 "R", Wittmund 2 x F-4F    
Deutschland, JG 74, Neuburg 2 x F-4F    
Deutschland, JG 74, Neuburg 2 x Eurofighter    
Griechenland, 343 Sqdn 3 x F-16 Lechfeld  
Türkei, 171 Sqdn 2 x F-4E Lechfeld  
Türkei, 161 Sqdn 2 x F-16 Lechfeld  
Türkei, 151 Sqdn 2 x F-16 Lechfeld  
Deutschland, JaboG 31, Nörvenich 2 x Tornado IDS    
Deutschland, JaboG 33, Büchel 4 x Tornado IDS    
Rumänien 86th Sqdn 2 x Mig-21 Lechfeld  
Polen, 8th Tac Sqdn 2 x SU-22 Lechfeld  
Frankreich, 3/3 Sqdn, Nancy 2 x Mirage 2000    
Grossbritannien, IX(B) Sqdn 4 x Tornado GR4 Lechfeld  
Deutschland, AG 51 "I", Schleswig 2 x Tornado RECCE Lechfeld  
Deutschland, JaboG 32, Lechfeld 10 x Tornado ECR    
Italien, 155th Sqdn 4 x Torndado ECR Lechfeld  
Deutschland, LTG 61, Landsberg 2 x Transall    
Niederlande, 334 Sqdn 2 x Herkules Landsberg  
Portugal 1 x CASA 295 Landsberg  
Spanien, 35th TW 1 x CASA 295 Landsberg  
Frankreich, 2/61 Sqdn, Nancy 1 x Herkules    
Frankreich, 1/64 Sqdn, Nancy 1 x Transall    
Frankreich, FAF, Avord 1 x E-3F AEW    
Deutschland, AHRgt 1/261 4 x BO-105 Lechfeld  
Deutschland, MTHRgt 25, Laupheim 4 x CH-53    
Schweiz, LTG-3, Dübendorf 2 x Cougar    
Belgien 3 x A-109 Laupheim  
Deutschland, MFG 5, Kiel 2 x Seaking Laupheim  
 
Aim of the game
Fighterbomber, transport aircraft, helicopter, evacuation forces and so on fly missions to the heavily defended area of Heuberg range (ED-R 132A). On their way to target area the forces encounter threats in form of mobile AAA and SAMs and of course opposing fighter forces. The ingressing packages are protected either by sweeping or embedded fighters as well as by SEAD (ECR) airplanes. While the fighters engage air threats early and drag them away from the force, the ECR establish a good ground situation and guide everybody around the (radar based) SAMs and AAA. In the target area the SEAD forces suppress the threats from outside.
 
Spotter Info - Where do I find airplanes
The exercise area
Karte bei maps.google.de
 
Departure and Approach from and to the airfields
Departures and approaches are according to the published procedures which can be found on our site in the "Service" area under "Lechfeld Procedures (VAD [Jet], SID, Approach Precedures)"
 
Where you for sure will not find any airplanes

There are a couple of towns in the area which - due to the minimizing of noise pollution - should be avoided by all means. These are:

  • Kaufbeuren
  • Leutkirch
  • Bad Wurzach
  • Bad Waldsee
  • Biberach
  • Bad Schussenried
  • Mengen
  • Riedlingen (sorry Rita!!!)
  • Sigmaringen
  • Stetten am kalten Markt (Südbereich Heuberg)
  • Messsteten (Nordbereich Heuberg)
  • Ebingen
  • Albstadt (Nordbereich Heuberg)
  • Balingen
  • Günzburg
  • Mariaberg
  • Kempten
  • Augsburg
  • Ulm

Towns with more than 100000 population may not be overflown (highest point in town) below 2000 feet (jet und prop) and 1000 feet (Heli). Those towns are: Augsburg, Erlangen, Fürth, Ingolstadt, München, Nürnberg, Regensburg, Reutlingen, Stuttgart und Ulm.

Also, the chance to sight a AEW is equal to zero, because those orbit in the Baden-Baden, Karlsruhe, Heidelberg area in 29000 feet.

The same applies for the BREGUET ATLANTIQUE, which will in 21000 feet patrol the Black Forrest area up and down (North-South).
 
Where do the spotter by high chance sight airplanes

First of course in the area around Heuberg. Since all the villages north and south of the range are completely off limits, the main attack axis is East-West. A good place is at the eastern edge which is marked on the google map. From there it might be possible to watch the fighters even in lowest altitude within the range ring road. The second best place would be the church tower of Stetten a.k.M, but the official in charge would most probably deny any request from your side ;-))

Good places enroute you can find on the google map within the narrow corridor. The planes have not too many places there to go, and from a good point of view you can oversee the whole width of the corridor.
When is something going on

At the following times, the exercise area is published as 'restricted' to other air traffic. All times are GMT, which is Central European Summer Time minus 2 hours).

Date: Times:

14 June 2007 06:15 - 10:15 UTC und 11:00 – 16:00 UTC

15 June 2007 06:15 – 12:00 UTC

18 June - 21 June 2007 daily 06:15 - 10:15 UTC and 11:00 – 16:00 UTC

22 June 2007 06:15 - 12:00 UTC

25 June – 28 June 2007 daily 06:15 - 10:15 UTC and 11:00 – 16:00 UTC

 
What happens at bad weather
When the weather is shiddy the area will be approached (if at all) in medium altitude under ATC control, except for the Tornados which are cleared to fly the low route with help of the TFR (terrain following radar) in 1000 feet AGL. Chances to see somebody are highest in the Heuberg area.
 
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