RIAT 2006 News Release
GERMAN ATLANTIC ‘WAVES’ GOODBYE
After 40 years operating as a maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine aircraft, the German Navy’s BR 1150 Atlantic will be making its final appearance at this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo before being replaced by P-3C Orions from the Royal Netherlands Navy.
The aircraft, which comes from Marinefliegergeschwader 3 ‘Graf Zeppelin’ based at Nordholz Naval Air Station, north of Bremen, last appeared at RAF Fairford in 2004 although an Italian Air Force version was on static display last year.
Its 12-man crew conducts a variety of search and rescue missions that can last up to 18 hours over flight distances of approximately 8,500 km, covered at a maximum speed of 650 km/h.
Joining it on static display will be a splendid German Air Force A310, adapted from the Airbus A310-300 civil passenger and transport aircraft to carry out a variety of military roles including air-to-air refuelling, cargo transport, medical evacuation and passenger transport.
The A310 is the latest aircraft to participate in the Air Tattoo’s Rapid Global Effect theme and will be fitted out for medical evacuation.
The Rapid Global Effect theme seeks to highlight the roles aircraft play in enabling international air arms to respond quickly and effectively to a variety of humanitarian, peace-keeping or military operations around the globe.
Among those already confirmed are two futuristic US V-22 Osprey transport aircraft, a KC-10A Extender in-flight refuelling aircraft from US Air Mobility Command, a CN-235 light transporter from the Spanish Air Force, Czech Mi-171 and An-26 transport aircraft, helicopters from the USAF Special Operations Command plus a range of aircraft from the UK’s Joint Helicopter Command.
For an up-to-date list of aircraft taking part in the Royal International Air Tattoo 2006, click Aircraft Participation on the side bar.