Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen"

Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen"
(Tactical Air Force Wing 71)
— III —
Coat of arms of Tactical Air Force Wing 71 "Richthofen"
Active6 June 1959–present
Country Germany
BranchGerman Air Force
RoleAir Defence, Rapid Deployment, NATO Command Force
Garrison/HQWittmundhafen Air Base
PatronManfred von Richthofen
Commanders
Current
commander
Oberstleutnant Oliver Spoerner
Notable
commanders
Erich Hartmann,
Günther Josten
Aircraft flown
FighterFormerly: Present:
Eurofighter Typhoon

Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen", formerly known as Jagdgeschwader 71 (JG 71) Richthofen is a Fighter wing of the German Air Force. JG 71 was West Germany's first operational jet fighter unit. On 29 June 2013 the last F-4F Phantom fighter flew for the last time, before the type was taken out of service. The wing is now equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Due to restructuring of the German Air Force, JG 71 was temporally transferred into the newly established Tactical Group "Richthofen" on 1 October 2013. Its parent unit was now Tactical Wing 31 in Nörvenich.[1] On 5 July 2016 the restructuring was reverted and the fighter group again upgraded to a fighter wing.[2]

  1. ^ "Das Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader 31 "Boelcke"" (in German). German Air Force. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Richthofen nach 33 Monaten wieder ein Geschwader" (in German). German Air Force. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.