Photo Report – Air Defender Exercise in Germany 2023: Strengthening Air Defence Capabilities

Germany hosted the highly anticipated Air Defender Exercise, aimed at enhancing air defence capabilities and fostering international cooperation among participating air forces. This exercise brought together a diverse range of aircraft and personnel from various nations to engage in realistic and challenging scenarios. This article provides an overview of the exercise, including the air bases utilized, the participating air forces, and the aircraft employed.

The Air Defender Exercise took place from June 12th to June 26th, 2023, across multiple air bases in Germany. These strategic locations were carefully selected to ensure a comprehensive training environment and optimal utilization of resources.

Pixelsnipers visited the air bases of Hohn, Schleswig-Jagel and Wunstorf to witness some of the action from Air Defender 2023 and here follows a photo report from these three airfields. There is also a list of the bases and the aircraft that took part from nations other than Germany. The list was compiled by Gijs Ten Velde on the aviation spotter website ‘Scramble’. With credit to “GIPS” – GIJS TEN VELDE on the scramble website.

WUNSTORF (ETNW):

89-9102 C-130H USAF 154th TRS / AR ANG
90-1798 C-130H USAF 180th AS / MO ANG
91-1237 C-130H USAF 142nd AS / DE ANG
92-0553 C-130H USAF 192nd AS / NV ANG
92-1451 C-130H USAF 169th AS / IL ANG
92-1533 C-130H USAF 187th AS / WY ANG
93-1562 C-130H USAF 158th AS / GA ANG
95-1001 C-130H USAF 109th AS / MN ANG
17-5865 C-130J-30 USAF 165th AS / KY ANG arr 17-6
15-5893 C-130J-30 USAF 165th AS / KY ANG dep 17-6
17-5904 C-130J-30 USAF 181st AS / TX ANG
2705 C-27J FAR Esc-902

NEUBURG (ETSN):

C.16-44/14-44 EF-2000 AME ALA-14 dep 16-6
C.16-60/14-60 EF-2000 AME ALA-14 dep 16-6
C.16-62/14-62 EF-2000 AME ALA-14 dep 16-6

HOHN (ETNH):

166943/AJ-500 EA-18G USN VAQ-142
168271/AJ-503 EA-18G USN VAQ-142
166626/AJ-210 F/A-18F USN VFA-213
168930/AJ-213 F/A-18F USN VFA-213
166781/AJ-305 F/A-18E USN VFA-31
166840/AJ-307 F/A-18E USN VFA-31
169398/AJ-404 F/A-18E USN VFA-87
166867/AJ-107 F/A-18E USN VFA-37
84-0010/MA F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG
84-0016/MA F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG
85-0101/MA F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG
85-0110/ZZ F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG ex 44th FS
85-0126/OT F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG ex 85th TES
86-0154/MA F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG
86-0163/MA F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG
86-0168/MA F-15C USAF 131st FS / MA ANG
82-0009/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
82-0010/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
82-0017/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
83-0010/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
83-0036/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
83-0041/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
84-0022/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
85-0112/JZ F-15C USAF 122nd FS / LA ANG
HN-405/05 F/A-18C FINAF HavLLv-31
HN-407/07 F/A-18C FINAF HavLLv-31
HN-433/33 F/A-18C FINAF HavLLv-31
HN-437/37 F/A-18C FINAF HavLLv-31
ZK308/308 Typhoon FGR.4 RAF 1 Sqn dep 16-6
ZK322/322 Typhoon FGR.4 RAF 1 Sqn dep 16-6
ZK344/344 Typhoon FGR.4 RAF 1 Sqn dep 16-6
ZK347/347 Typhoon FGR.4 RAF 1 Sqn dep 16-6

SCHLESWIG (ETNS):

86-0277/CO F-16C USAF 120th FS / CO ANG
86-0339/CO F-16C USAF 120th FS / CO ANG
86-0365/CO F-16C USAF 120th FS / CO ANG
86-0367/CO F-16C USAF 120th FS / CO ANG
86-0370/CO F-16C USAF 120th FS / CO ANG
87-0229/CO F-16C USAF 120th FS / CO ANG spec c/s
87-0336/AL F-16C USAF 120th FS / CO ANG spec c/s ex 100th FS
88-0418 F-16C USAF 175th FS / SD ANG
88-0428 F-16C USAF 175th FS / SD ANG
88-0452 F-16C USAF 175th FS / SD ANG
89-2005 F-16C USAF 175th FS / SD ANG
89-2064 F-16C USAF 175th FS / SD ANG
89-2105 F-16C USAF 175th FS / SD ANG
89-2125 F-16C USAF 175th FS / SD ANG
78-0641/MI A-10C USAF 107th FS / MI ANG
78-0689/MI A-10C USAF 107th FS / MI ANG
80-0213/Mi A-10C USAF 107th FS / MI ANG
80-0221/MI A-10C USAF 107th FS / MI ANG
80-0258/MI A-10C USAF 107th FS / MI ANG
81-0998/MI A-10C USAF 107th FS / MI ANG
78-0683/MD A-10C USAF 104th FS / MD ANG
78-0702/MD A-10C USAF 104th FS / MD ANG
78-0718/MD A-10C USAF 104th FS / MD ANG
79-0104/MD A-10C USAF 104th FS / MD ANG “COM 104th FS”
79-0108/MD A-10C USAF 104th FS / MD ANG
79-0175/MD A-10C USAF 104th FS / MD ANG “COM 175th WG”
35 JAS-39C HUAF MH 59. Sz.D. REB.
36 JAS-39C HUAF MH 59. Sz.D. REB.
38 JAS-39C HUAF MH 59. Sz.D. REB.
39 JAS-39C HUAF MH 59. Sz.D. REB.
44 JAS-39D HUAF MH 59. Sz.D. REB.
88-0036 F-16 THK 151 Filo
89-0026 F-16 THK 151 Filo
90-0012 F-16 THK 151 Filo

SPANGDAHLEM (ETAD):

17-5277/VT F-35A USAF 134th FS / VT ANG
18-5337/VT F-35A USAF 134th FS / VT ANG
18-5341/VT F-35A USAF 134th FS / VT ANG
18-5349/VT F-35A USAF 134th FS / VT ANG
18-5358/VT F-35A USAF 134th FS / VT ANG
18-5359/VT F-35A USAF 134th FS / VT ANG
90-0843 F-16D USAF 179th FS / MN ANG
90-0846 F-16D USAF 179th FS / MN ANG
92-3915 F-16C USAF 179th FS / MN ANG