One billion euros for the future: Laage's air force base is being modernized!

One billion euros for the future: Laage's air force base is being modernized!

There is exciting news at Laage Air Force Base, beautifully located in the Rostock district. How NDR reported that the federal government plans to invest around one billion euros in the next 10 to 15 years. These significant investments were announced by Colonel Gert Schnell, the site's commodore, during the annual noise abatement conference.

Where does the money go? The focus is on building so-called “hardened buildings” that offer robust protection against bullets and fire. These protective structures are particularly necessary to protect the Eurofighters stationed in Laage and the storage of ammunition, including guided missiles. It is noteworthy that the existing protective structures date back to the GDR era, which underlines the urgency of these new investments. Subject to the planned measures, the site will not be expanded and the investments are not expected to result in an increase in air traffic.

Current flight situation

Last year, the Air Force completed an impressive 4,200 flight hours in Laage, a stable figure compared to the previous year, although the number of night flights increased three times. Interestingly, the number of complaints about noise pollution from military flights fell to 61 in 2022, compared to 76 in 2021. This reported World.

At the noise protection commission, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Horz, head of the Bundeswehr's flight operations and information center, explained that of the total 3,364 military flights in Laage, there were also around 2,500 flights from the Tactical Air Force Squadron 71 "Richthofen", with this squadron being relocated back to Wittmund in 2025. Despite the increasing number of flight hours, the air base has plans to expand pilot training. While an average of 16 pilots were trained annually, this number is expected to increase to 26 pilots by 2026.

Noise reduction measures

Particularly noteworthy are the measures taken to reduce noise. These include the ban on supersonic flights over Rostock and the minimization of night flights between April and September. Occasions such as funerals are also taken into account. In addition, four simulators are now available in which two thirds of the training is carried out, whereas previously there were only two.

It is exciting how the air force bases in Germany are managed and organized. The Wikipedia gives an insight into the structure, revealing the colorful diversity of the different military airfields and their equipment. Air bases are numerous locations that serve not only the Bundeswehr, but also the US Army, and are usually divided into flying and technical groups.

In summary, it can be seen that Laage Air Base is working towards a new future that will not only increase safety, but also greatly improve pilot training in the coming years. So it won't be boring here in Rostock, and the future has a lot to offer!