The German Air Force receives its first fighter-bomber Eurofighter Typhoons

The German Air Force’s Jagdbombergeschwader 31 “Boelcke” has received today its first four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The Eurofighter Typhoons have been handed over in a ceremony at the Wing’s base, Nörvenich, in North Rhine Westphalia and will replace the Tornados today in service with the Wing by the end of June 2010.

The JaboG 31 “Boelcke” is the first Luftwaffe unit to use the Eurofighter Typhoon in an air-to-ground role. The Wing’s aircraft – currently running initial operations in cooperation with Training Fighter Wing 73 “Steinhoff” – is expected to be fully operational with all weather GBU-48 laser-guided bombs and the Laser Designator Pod by 2012.

The Fighter Bomber Wing 31 “Boelcke” is the third German Air Force Squadron equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon. Fighter Wing 73 “Steinhoff” based in Laage-Rostock, in northern Germany, received its first aircraft in May 2004 and the Fighter Wing 74 in Neuburg –Donau, based in southern Germany, in July 2006.