Historical handover event at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base

Historical handover event at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base

On September 5, 2025, an impressive event took place at the Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base (also known as Fursty): the farewell to the Air Force's 124th officer candidate course. Around 350 officer candidates, along with their families and around 900 invited guests, including numerous political personalities and high-ranking Bundeswehr representatives, came together to properly celebrate this special day. In the midst of speeches and honors, there was also a spectacular flyover that made the hearts of those present beat faster. According to that Circle messenger The honor formation was carried out with an Airbus A400M and two Eurofighters at 11:11 a.m.

The speeches by Brigadier General Gero von Fritschen, the commander of the officers' school, Lieutenant General Holger Neumann, the Air Force Inspector, and State Minister Dr. Florian Herrmann discussed gratitude for the willingness to serve, responsibility and teamwork, which are essential in both the Air Force and NATO. The event lasted about an hour and was accompanied by music from the Army Music Corps from Veitshöchheim. What is particularly noteworthy is that the best officer candidates were also honored - including participants from Italy and Spain who have achieved extraordinary achievements.

The Airbus A400M: technical masterpiece and strategic backbone

The A400M has not only established itself as an all-rounder in transport technology, but has also played an important role in the Bundeswehr. Since the first A400M was handed over to the Luftwaffe on December 18, 2014, 48 of the 53 aircraft ordered have now been delivered to the German army airbus reported. With an impressive maximum range of over 8,700 km and the ability to carry 37 tons of material - the equivalent weight of 16 white rhinos - the A400M is an essential tool for the modernized air force.

The diverse use of the A400M is also particularly noteworthy. Whether as a flying hospital in MedEvac configuration or for humanitarian missions - the A400M has proven to be extremely flexible. Since its introduction, it has already completed over 51,000 flight hours for the Bundeswehr. However, technical challenges such as the availability of parts or the number of operational aircraft are still present, as Colonel Christian John, Commodore of Air Transport Squadron 62, notes. Nevertheless, the availability of the machines has already doubled in the last two years.

Future outlook and challenges

The Air Force is constantly striving to further improve the technical capabilities of the A400M. Future plans include equipping the aircraft with a self-protection system as well as aerial refueling capability as a receiver, further increasing the A400M's versatility. A new maintenance center is currently being built next to the Wunstorf Air Base, and operations are expected to begin in mid-2027. Despite all the challenges, such as a lack of spare parts and a lack of qualified personnel, the Air Force is optimistic and is relying on close cooperation with industry to further increase availability.

Overall, the event in Fürstenfeldbruck not only shows the pride and tradition of the German Air Force, but also the commitment to mastering future challenges with innovative solutions. The A400M will certainly continue to play a central role - both in a national and international context.