Second Allied Tactical Air Force

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Second Allied Tactical Air Force
- 2nd ATAF -
XXX

Emblem of the Second Allied Tactical Air Force.jpg

Association badge
active 1958 to 1993
Country Flag of NATO.svg GermanyGermany Germany
Armed forces NATO
Type Air Force
last headquarters headquarters Heidelberg
36
798
Phantom lands at RAF Wildenrath Air Base
Tornado GR
Air Force Alpha Jet
F-15 fighter aircraft

The Second Allied Tactical Air Force (short: 2 ATAF ; German  2nd Allied Tactical Air Force ) was a major formation of NATO , with headquarters in Mönchengladbach, the time of the Cold War , whose task was to air support for the NORTHAG ( Northern Army Group ) to provide. It was founded in 1958 and dissolved again in 1993. The tasks of the 2 ATAF were taken over by the Allied Air Forces Central Europe .

history

The 2 ATAF commanded all airborne units stationed in their sector as well as reinforcements that would have flown into their sector and placed under their control in the V-case. This also included ground-based radar systems and stations, air defense units and the military airfields or air bases in their area of ​​responsibility. Since AIRBALTAP only had three fighter squadrons, reinforcements would have been made via the 2 ATAF in the area of LANDJUT . The chain of command ran from COMAIRCENT through the 2 ATAF to the SOC (Sector Operations Center). The area of ​​responsibility included the Netherlands , Belgium and Germany north of the city of Kassel and south of the Elbe . The commander of the Second Allied Tactical Air Force was the commanding Air Chief Marshal of the British RAF Second Tactical Air Force , which was renamed RAF Germany on January 1, 1959 .

The main tasks of the 2 ATAF belonged CAS (Close Air Support = close air support), BAI (Battlefield Interdiction = Gefechtsfeldabriegelung ) and (Air Interdiction = air interdiction ). In contrast to the US-American 4 ATAF , the tactical orientation of the 2 ATAF followed British ideas, which favored attacks in pairs at high speed on “chance targets” (opportunity target) in extremely low flight .

" The technology gap, which once gave us in NATO an offset against the Warsaw Pact's larger numbers, has narrowed very significantly in recent years. Aircraft such as the Fencer, of which there are now almost 400 facing us in the Central Region, are capable of reaching targets deep into Western Europe, and of delivering their weapons, even in bad weather, with an accuracy comparable to our own. In the air defense role, Foxbat E is now based in East Germany and the 8 - Russian "F-18ski", the Fulcrum, is likely to be deployed forward within the next two years ... In parallel, new surface-to- air missiles are being brought in to replace the older SA-2 and SA-4 systems, and new radars, including an AWACS (the Mainstay) will provide not only stronger defense but enable the Pact to control operations more ffectively over NATO territory . " - The technological lead that NATO once had to compensate for the numerical superiority of the Warsaw Pact has narrowed considerably in recent years. Airplanes like the Fencer Sukhoi Su-24 , of which there are now almost 400 in the central region, are able to reach targets deep in Western Europe and use their weapons with a high level of precision comparable to ours, even in poor visibility . In the GDR, Foxbat E MiG-25s are stationed for air defense and eight of the Fulcrum MiG-29s (Russian "F-18ski") are likely to be brought forward within the next two years ... In parallel, new anti-aircraft missiles will be deployed to to replace the older SA-2 and SA-4 models, and to enable new radar systems, including AWACS (Mainstay), not only for stronger defense, but also for the Pact to more effectively control its air combat operations over NATO territory. "

-

The peace center of the 2 ATAF was at the RAF Rheindahlen . The command center for 2ATAF and NORTHAG in the event of war was the Joint Operations Center Maastricht (JOC Maastricht) in the Netherlands. As a replacement for JOC Maastricht, NATO began building the Static War Headquarters Castlegate in Linnich near Düren in 1983 . The alternative war headquarters was in Kanne / Belgium north of Fort Eben-Emael . The Second Allied Tactical Air Force commanded the British Royal Air Force Germany, the Belgian Air Force, the Royal Netherlands Air Force, two divisions of the German Air Force and a US Air Force Tactical Fighter Group, as well as extensive air defense and radar systems in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. In the event of an escalation, it was possible to reinforce the 2 ATAF with units from the 3rd Air Force (stationed in GB), the 8th Air Force (reconnaissance and bomber units), the 9th Air Force (follow-on reinforcements) and 12th Air Force, also with air units of the French Air Force and the RAF stationed in Great Britain . At the beginning of the hostilities with the Warsaw Pact, the 2 ATAF would have had around 700 combat aircraft immediately available.

Commander

  • Air Marshal Sir Humphrey Edwardes-Jones (January 1, 1959 - January 7, 1961)
  • Air Marshal Sir John Grandy (January 7, 1961 - June 25, 1963)
  • Air Marshal Sir Ronald Lees (June 25, 1963 - December 6, 1965)
  • Air Marshal Sir Denis Spotswood (December 6, 1965 - July 16, 1968)
  • Air Marshal Christopher Foxley-Norris (July 16, 1968 - November 10, 1970)
  • Air Marshal Harold Brownlow Martin (November 10, 1970 - April 4, 1973)
  • Air Marshal Nigel Maynard (April 4, 1973 - January 19, 1976)
  • Air Marshal Sir Michael Beetham (January 19, 1976 - July 25, 1977)
  • Air Marshal Sir John Stacey (July 25, 1977 - July 25, 1977)
  • Air Marshal Sir Peter Terry (April 30, 1979 - February 2, 1981)
  • Air Marshal Sir Thomas Kennedy (February 2, 1981 - April 9, 1983)
  • Air Marshal Sir Patrick Hine (April 9, 1983 - July 1, 1985)
  • Air Marshal Sir David Parry-Evans (July 1, 1985 - April 13, 1987)
  • Air Marshal Sir Anthony Skingsley (April 13, 1987 - April 14, 1989)
  • Air Marshal Sir Roger Palin (April 14, 1989 - April 14, 1989)
  • Air Marshal Sir Andrew Wilson (April 22, 1991-1993?)

Outline (war structure in the event of an alarm, status: 1989)

  • Headquarters Second Allied Tactical Air Force , RAF Rheindahlen / JOC Maastricht
    • Air Defense Operations Center / Air Defense Command Post (ADOC), Maastricht
      • Sector Operations Center 1 (SOC 1), Aurich
        • 1st bag / 34. Telecommunication Regiment (Luftwaffe), Control and Reporting Center Aurich
        • 2nd booklet / 34. Telecommunication Regiment (Air Force), Control and Reporting Center Visselhövede
        • 3rd bag / 34. Telecommunication Regiment (Luftwaffe), Control and Reporting Center Brekendorf
        • Royal Netherlands Air Force , Control and Reporting Center Nieuw Milligen, Netherlands
        • No. 225 squadrons, (3 × I-Hawk & 3 × Flycatcher / Bofors 40L70 AAA)
      • Sector Operations Center 2 (SOC 2), Uedem
        • 1st bag / 34. Telecommunication Regiment (Luftwaffe), Control and Reporting Center Uedem
        • 3rd bag / 34. Telecommunication Regiment (Air Force), Control and Reporting Center Brakel
        • V. Teaching group of the Technical School of the Air Force 2 (V./TSLw 2), Control and Reporting Center Erndtebrück
        • Royal Belgium Air Force, Control and Reporting Center Bassenge, Belgium
        • 4. Btl / 33. Regiment (Luftwaffe), Faßberg , 12 × mobile radar system, advanced near the inner-German border
    • Royal Air Force Germany, RAF Rheindahlen
        • 4th Wing, administrative control RAF Regiment Rapier Squadrons based in the FRG
        • 33rd Wing, Administrative Control RAF Regiment Light Armor Squadrons based in the FRG
      • RAF Bruggen , FRG
        • No. 9 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR
        • No. 14 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR
        • No. 17 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR
        • No. 31 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR
        • No. 37 Squadron RAF Regiment, (air defense, 8 × Rapier missile systems)
        • No. 51 Squadron RAF Regiment, (Light Armor, 15 × Spartan, 6 × Scorpion)
      • RAF Gütersloh , FRG
        • No. 3 squadrons, 16 × Harrier GR.5
        • No. 4 squadrons, 16 × Harrier GR.5
        • No. 18 squadrons, 16 × CH-47 Chinooks (in support of BAOR)
        • No. 230 squadrons, 16 × Puma HC.1 (to support the BAOR)
        • No. 63 Squadron RAF Regiment, (air defense, 8 × Rapier missile systems)
      • RAF Laarbruch , FRG
        • No. 2 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR (reconnaissance)
        • No. 15 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR
        • No. 16 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR
        • No. 20 squadrons, 12 × Tornado GR
        • No. 1 Squadron RAF Regiment, (Light Armor, 15 × Spartan, 6 × Scorpion)
        • No. 26 Squadron RAF Regiment, (Air Defense, 8 × Rapier missile systems)
      • RAF Wildenrath , FRG
        • No. 19 squadrons, 16 × Phantom
        • No. 92 squadrons, 16 × Phantom
        • No. 60 Squadron, Andover CC. 2 transport aircraft
        • No. 16 squadrons RAF Regiment, (air defense, 8 × Rapier missile systems)

US Air Force

  • 485th Tactical Missile Wing, Florennes Air Base, BE
    • 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, 48 × BGM-109G ground-based cruise missiles
  • Soesterberg Air Base, NL
    • 32d tactical fighter group
    • 32d Tactical Fighter Squadron, 24 × F-15C Eagle
    • No. 221 (Dutch) squadron, (3 × I-Hawk systems)
  • Norvenich Air Base
    • forward base of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 × A-10A Thunderbolt II

Belgian Air Force

  • 1st Wing, Beauvechain Air Base
    • 349th Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • 350th Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • Air defense battery with 6 × MIM-23 Hawk
  • 2nd Wing, Florennes Air Base
    • 1st Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • 2nd Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • Air defense battery with 6 × MIM-23 Hawk
  • 3rd Wing, Bierset Air Base
    • 8th Squadron, 36 × Mirage 5BA
    • 42nd Squadron, 22 × Mirage 5BR (reconnaissance)
    • Air defense battery with 6 × MIM-23 Hawk
  • 9th Wing, Sint-Truiden Air Base
    • 7th Squadron, 16 × Alpha Jet
    • 11th Squadron, 16 × Alpha Jet
    • Air defense battery with 6 × MIM-23 Hawk
  • 10th Wingnote 2, Kleine Brogel Air Base
    • 23rd Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • 31st Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • Air defense battery with 6 × MIM-23 Hawk
  • Missile Wing, Düren, FRG
    • Wing Staff, Düren
    • 9th Operations Group, Grefrath, BRD
    • 54th Squadron, Xanten, (9 × MIM-14 Nike Hercules)
    • 56th Squadron, Grefrath, (9 × MIM-14 Nike Hercules)
  • 13th Operations Group, Düren, Germany
    • 50th Squadron, Düren, (9 × MIM-14 Nike Hercules)
    • 51st Squadron, Blankenheim, (9 × MIM-14 Nike Hercules)
  • Missile Support Group, Düren, Germany

Belgian army

  • 43rd Artilleriebataljon, Brakel
    • A / 43rd Company, Beverungen with 6 × MIM-23 Hawk
    • B / 43rd Company, Höxter with 6 × Hawk
    • C / 43rd Company, Brakel with 6 × Hawk
    • D / 43rd Company, Bad Driburg 6 × Hawk
  • 62nd Artilleriebataljon, Essentho
    • A / 62nd company, Korbach with 6 × MIM-23 Hawk
    • B / 62nd company, Wolfhagen with 6 × Hawk
    • C / 62nd Company, Essentho with 6 × Hawk
    • D / 62nd Company, Diemelstadt 6 × Hawk

Royal Netherlands Air Force

  • Eindhoven Air Base
    • No. 316 Fighter / Bomber Squadron, 18 × NF-5A Freedom Fighters
    • No. 422 squadrons, (3 × I-Hawk & 3 × Flycatcher / Bofors 40L70 AAA)
  • Gilze-Rijen Air Base
    • No. 314 Fighter / Bomber Squadrons, 18 × NF-5A Freedom Fighters
    • No. 121 squadrons, (3 × I-Hawk & 3 × Flycatcher / Bofors 40L70 AAA)
  • Leeuwarden Air Base
    • No. 322 Fighter / Bomber Squadrons, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • No. 323 Fighter / Bomber Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • No. 119 squadrons, (3 × I-Hawk & 3 × Flycatcher / Bofors 40L70 AAA)
  • Twente Air Base
    • No. 313 Fighter / Bomber Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • No. 315 Fighter / Bomber Squadron, 24 × F-16A Fighting Falcon
    • No. 222 squadrons, (3 × I-Hawk & 3 × Flycatcher / Bofors 40L70 AAA)
  • Volkel Air Base
    • No. 306 Reconnaissance Squadron, 18 × F-16A F-16A Fighting Falcon (reconnaissance)
    • No. 311 Fighter / Bomber Squadron, 24 × F-16A F-16A Fighting Falconnote 2
    • No. 312 Fighter / Bomber Squadrons, 24 × F-16A F-16A Fighting Falconnote 2
    • No. 420 squadrons, (3 × I-Hawk & 3 × Flycatcher / Bofors 40L70 AAA)
  • De Peel Air Base (reinforcement)
    • No. 421 squadrons, (3 × I-Hawk & 3 × Flycatcher / Bofors 40L70 AAA)
  • 3rd Guided Weapons Group, Blomberg
  • 5th Guided Weapons Group, Stolzenau
    • No. 500 squadrons, Borstel with 6 × I-Hawk
    • No. 501 squadron, Winzlar with 6 × I-Hawk
    • No. 502 squadron, Hoysinghausen with 5 × Patriot
    • No. 503 squadron, Reinsdorf with 5 × Patriot

German airforce

  • 4th Air Force Division , Aurich
    • Wittmundhafen Air Base
      • Jagdgeschwader 71 (JaboG 71), 2 × squadrons 15 × F-4F Phantom II, 4 × F-4F in reserve
    • Anti-aircraft missile squadron 1 , Heide
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 26, Wangerland , 6 × MIM-104 Patriot squadron; 1 × control station, 1 × radar set, 8 × launcher
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 37, Cuxhaven , 4 × MIM-23 Hawk squadrons; 6 × launcher
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 39, Eckernförde , 4 × MIM-23 Hawk squadrons; 6 × launcher
      • Anti-aircraft missile squadron 2, Bremervörde
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 24, Delmenhorst , 6 × MIM-104 Patriot squadron; 1 × Control Station, 1 × **** 31st Air Defense Missile Wing, Westertimke, 4 × MIM-23 Hawk Squadron; 6 × launcher
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 36, Bremervörde , 4 × MIM-23 Hawk squadrons; 6 × launcher
      • Anti-aircraft missile squadron 3, Oldenburg
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 25, Eydelstedt , 6 × MIM-104 Patriot squadron; 1 × Engagement Control Station, 1 × Radar Set, 8 × Launcher
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 35, Delmenhorst , with 4 × MIM-23 Hawk squadrons; 6 × launcher
      • Anti-aircraft missile battalion 41, Wangerland, 16 × Roland in Jever , Hopsten and Wittmundhafen
  • 33rd Telecommunications Regiment, Goch
  • 34th Telecommunications Regiment, Alt Duvenstedt

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dr, sc. W. Weber, "The armed forces of NATO on the territory of the FRG", military transport of the GDR, 1st edition, Berlin 1984, license no .: 5, LSV: 0535, page 190.
  2. ↑ 2. ATAF = According to Q .: Fölbach, 50 years of operational command service of the Air Force 1960 - 2010, p. 16.
  3. ↑ History of NATO's Air Headquarters at Ramstein Air Base (English). Retrieved April 30, 2016 .
  4. ↑ David J. Stein: The Development of NATO Tactical Air Doctrine. 1970-1985. RAND Project Air Foce, A Project Air Force Report for the United States Air Force, December 1987
  5. ↑ "Finally, many of the Allies are sure that the American reliance on very expensive high technology and highly automated procedures means less flexibility and innovation when things go wrong."
  6. ^ NATO Offensive Air Power in the Central Region: TWOATAF and FOURATAF. Contrasted Strategic Studies Project. National Defense University, February 1986
  7. ^ NATO Offensive Air Power in the Central Region: TWOATAF and FOURATAF. Contrasted Strategic Studies Project. National Defense University, February 1986 Commander 2 ATAF, May 1984
  8. ^ OW Dragoon: The Bundeswehr 1989