Marineflieger#Aircraft

During the First World War, naval aviators were part of the {{lang|de|Kaiserliche Marine}}. After the war Germany was no longer allowed to maintain a military aviation capability. Heer and Marine both attempted to nevertheless maintain theoretical and practical knowledge of air warfare through concealed activities such as pilot training efforts.{{Cite book|last=Paterson|first=Lawrence|title=Eagles Over the Sea: Luftwaffe Maritime Operations 1935–1942|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|year=2019|isbn=978-1-5267-4002-1|location=Great Britain|pages=15–18}} After the National Socialists had risen to power, these activities intensified until Nazi Germany unilaterally declared its withdrawal from armament limitations in 1935. The nascent rump naval air arm was quickly absorbed by Hermann Göring's newly established {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}}.

However, as a component of the air force, the Seeflieger maintained their organisational structure.{{Cite web|date=2014-09-14|title=100 Years of German Naval Aviation|url=https://www.japcc.org/100-years-of-german-naval-aviation/|access-date=2021-10-29|website=Joint Air Power Competence Centre|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328230858/https://www.japcc.org/100-years-of-german-naval-aviation/|url-status=dead}} A carrier-based aviation component was planned for the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin, laid down in 1936, but lack of suitable aircraft, coupled with the reluctance of the Luftwaffe to support the Kriegsmarine in the carrier's construction, culminated in its eventual cancellation in 1943.

After the Second World War, it was not until West Germany's entry into NATO in the 1950s and the establishment of the Bundesmarine, that a naval aviation force (Marineflieger) was formed.

The United Kingdom was instrumental in the creation of the Marineflieger, supplying training and aircraft. A number of Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) officers operated as part of the German Navy in the process. The first aircraft included Hawker Sea Hawks, which were used by Marinefliegergeschwader 1 and 2, and Fairey Gannets. Until the new bases were ready, pilots were trained with the FAA in the UK.

The first Kommando der Marineflieger was created in July 1956 in Kiel-Holtenau and elevated to divisional level in 1964, renamed to Marinefliegerkommando in 1967 and to Marinefliegerdivision in 1969 as it grew in size. This Naval Aviation Division commanded five wings and several supporting units in total before 1990, including two combat aircraft wings equipped with Lockheed Starfighter fighter aircraft and then the Panavia Tornado. The Fairey Gannet maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) was replaced with the Bréguet Atlantic.

After the Cold War, the unit was renamed to Flotille der Marineflieger in 1994 and reduced to a brigade-level command. Its last combat aircraft were handed over to the German Air Force in 2005 before the flotilla was dissolved on 30 June 2006. Afterwards, the remaining wings were directly assigned to fleet command until 8 October 2012, when the current Marinefliegerkommando was created in Nordholz under Kapitän zur See Andreas Horstmann, who had already been charged with naval aviation at fleet command in Rostock from 2006 to 2009.{{Cite web|title=Startschuss für das Marinefliegerkommando in Nordholz|url=https://www.presseportal.de/pm/67428/2337738|access-date=2021-10-29|website=presseportal.de|date=4 October 2012 |language=de}} At the same time the remaining naval aviation aircraft were largely consolidated at Nordholz Naval Airbase.

Apart from the staff, two—the 3rd and 5th—wings are currently assigned to the unit.

File:MFG-3.svg

The German Navy's fixed-wing aircraft, namely eight Lockheed P-3C Orion MPA taken over from the Royal Netherlands Navy and two modified Dornier 228LM pollution control aircraft are assigned to the 3rd wing, Marinefliegergeschwader 3 "Graf Zeppelin". The unit is also responsible for handling flight operations in Nordholz. It was established in 1964.

The wings tasks include surveillance and control of large sea areas as well as maritime warfare against targets above (ASuW) and below water (ASW).{{Cite web|title=Naval Aviation Command|url=https://www.bundeswehr.de/en/organization/navy/organization/naval-aviation-command|access-date=2021-10-29|website=www.bundeswehr.de|language=en}} Pollution control patrols are carried out implementing the MARPOL 73/78 convention on behalf of and in cooperation with German civilian authorities, namely the German coastal states and agencies under the Federal Ministry of Transport, who do not maintain the appropriate aircraft themselves.

The P-3Cs are to be replaced with eight P-8 Poseidon MPAs from 2024 on{{Cite web|last=ES&T editorial team|title=P-8A Poseidon ordered from Boeing for the German Navy|url=https://esut.de/en/2021/09/meldungen/30054/p-8a-poseidon-fuer-deutsche-marine-bei-boeing-bestellt/|access-date=2021-10-29|website=esut.de|date=29 September 2021 |language=en}} in order to avoid a looming capability gap caused by bringing forward the out-of-service date of the P-3Cs to 2025. A prior attempt to extensively refurbish the aircraft and extend their service time to 2035 was abandoned due to cost and technical issues.{{Cite web|last=Manaranche|first=Martin|date=2020-06-17|title=German MoD Ends P-3C Orion MPA Modernization Program - Seeking Alternative|url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/06/german-mod-ends-p-3c-orion-mpa-modernization-program-seeking-alternative/|access-date=2021-10-29|website=Naval News|language=en-US}}

A technical support group (Gruppe) and a flying group, each with two flights (Staffeln) make up the unit along with an airbase group which is responsible for logistics, command infrastructure and air traffic:{{Cite web|last=Seedorf|first=Mark|title=Standortbroschüre Cuxhaven/Nordholz|url=https://www.total-lokal.de/city/nordholz/data/27637_67_07_15.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406005218/https://www.total-lokal.de/city/nordholz/data/27637_67_07_15.pdf|archive-date=6 April 2015}}

• Staff
• Flying Group
• 1st Flight (P-3C)
• 2nd Flight (P-3C, Do-228LM)
• Technical Group
• Technical Flight (P-3C)
• Technical Flight (general purpose)
• Air Base Group

File: COA MFG 5 2013.svg

Marinefliegergeschwader 5 commands the navies rotorcraft fleet of Westland Sea Lynx MK 88 A and Sea King Mk 41 helicopters, tasked with ship-based anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, transport and special forces support duties and is responsible for search and rescue (SAR) duty in the North and Baltic seas. The Sea King fleet is currently transitioning to the NH90 Sea Lion.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} Sea Lion operations began during June 2020 and the wing will eventually have 20 in service.{{cite book|title=AirForces Monthly|date=August 2022|publisher=Key Publishing Ltd|location=Stamford, Lincolnshire, England|pages=18}} The NH90 in its Sea Tiger version will also replace the Sea Lynx from 2025 on as the navies frigate-based helicopter.{{Cite web|last=Donald|first=David|title=Germany Orders NH90 Sea Tiger Helicopters|url=https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2020-11-26/germany-orders-nh90-sea-tiger-helicopters|access-date=2021-10-29|website=Aviation International News|language=en}}

The unit redeployed in 2012-2013 to Nordholz from Kiel-Holtenau where it had been stationed since its creation in 1958.

• Staff
• Flying Group
• 1st Flight (Sea Lynx Mk 88 A)
• 2nd Flight (Sea King Mk 41)
• ? Flight (Sea Lion)
• Instruction Flight
• Technical Group
• Technical Flight (Sea Lynx Mk 88 A)
• Technical Flight (Sea King Mk 41)
• Technical Flight (Sea Lion)
• Technical Instruction Flight

The command had 2,500 personnel on active duty in 2020.{{cite web|title=Marineflieger im Umbruch|date=25 October 2023 |language=German|url=https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/organisation/marine/organisation/marinefliegerkommando}} As of 2019, it operates 54 aircraft.{{cite journal|title=World Air Forces 2019|journal=Flightglobal|page=16|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/asset/26019/waf/|accessdate=7 August 2019}}

The Marineflieger previously operated the following aircraft:

• Panavia Tornado
• F-104 G Starfighter
• Hawker Sea Hawk
• Fairey Gannet
• Breguet Atlantic
• Dornier Do 28
• Westland Sea King Mk.41

File:Tornado MFG1 RAF Mildenhall 1984.jpeg|A Tornado IDS at RAF Mildenhall in 1984

File:LynxMk88 F-214 1993.JPEG|A Lynx helicopter on the flight deck of a German frigate in 1993

File:A2604-Germany-Orion-6001-RIAT2013.JPG|A P-3 Orion painted with a special scheme for the 100th anniversary of the Marineflieger

File:A2730-Germany-SeaKing-8965-RIAT2013.JPG|A Westland Sea King in 2013

File:A2630-Germany-DO228-9835-RIAT2013.JPG|A Dornier 228 in 2013

• German Navy:
• List of active German Navy ships
• List of active weapons of the German Navy
• List of ship classes of the Bundesmarine and Deutsche Marine
• List of ships of the German navies
• Kommando Spezialkräfte Marine (German Navy special forces)
• German Army:
• List of modern equipment of the German Army
• German Air Force:
• List of active equipment of the German Air Force
• German Army equipment pages in German:
• {{ill|List of small arms of the Bundeswehr|lt=|de|Liste von Handwaffen der Bundeswehr}}
• {{ill|List of Bundeswehr ammunition|lt=|de|Liste von Bundeswehrmunition}}
• {{ill|List of wheeled vehicles of the Bundeswehr|lt=|de|Liste von Radfahrzeugen der Bundeswehr}}
• {{ill|List of tracked vehicles of the Bundeswehr|lt=|de|Liste von Kettenfahrzeugen der Bundeswehr}}
• {{ill|List of aircraft of the Bundeswehr|lt=|de|Liste von Luftfahrzeugen der Bundeswehr}}

{{Reflist}}

• https://web.archive.org/web/20080321114500/http://www.fly-navy.de/index2.html

Category:Military units and formations of the Imperial German Navy

Category:Military units and formations of the German Navy

Category:Military aviation units and formations of Germany in World War I