Royal Air Force In Germany 1945-1993 The Royal Air Force Historical Society Seminar held jointly with Defence Studies (RAF) at The Joint Services Command and Staff College, Bracknell on 9 December 1998 2 THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributors concerned and are not necessarily those held by the Royal Air Force Historical Society. Crown Copyright/MOD. The lower photograph on pages 130 and that on page 131 have been reproduced with permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Copyright 1999 Royal Air Force Historical Society First published in the UK in 1999 by the Royal Air Force Historical Society British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data available ISBN 0-9519824 9.4 All rights reserved. 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Typeset and printed in Great Britain by Fotodirect Ltd, Brighton Royal Air Force Historical Society THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 3 Contents Page Welcome by Society Chairman – AVM Baldwin 8 Introduction by Air Chf Mshl Sir Andrew Wilson 9 Historical Background by Gp Capt Taylor 10 A Continental Commitment by Gp Capt Peach 17 Defensive Operations The Principles of Air Defence by Air Chf Mshl Sir 35 Roger Palin Defensive Operations by Air Mshl Macfadyen 45 Ground based Air Defence by Wg Cdr Evans 51 Morning Discussion 59 Offensive Operations An Operations Overview by Sir Andrew Wilson 65 Strike Operations by Air Cdre Wilkinson 71 Attack Operations by Air Cdre White 86 Reconnaissance by Air Cdre Pitchfork 93 Special Operations – Intelligence by Gp Capt Killick 100 Afternoon Discussion 103 The Early Years in a Global Context by Dr Goulter 108 Historical Perspective by Sebastian Cox 114 Final Discussion 121 Closing Address 127 4 THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 Selected Abbreviations 1 (BR) Corps First British Corps (BAOR under NATO). 2TAF Second Tactical Air Force (ie RAF). 2ATAF Second Allied Tactical Air Force 4ATAF Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force AAFCE Allied Air Forces Central Europe AAM Air-to-Air Missile ACE Allied Command Europe ACOC Air Command Operations Centre ADIZ Air Defence Identification Zone AFCENT Allied Forces Central Europe AI Air Interdiction ALARM Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile APC Armament Practice Camp ARRC Allied Rapid Reaction Corps ASOC Air Support Operations Centre ATOC Air Tactical Operations Centre AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System BAFO British Air Forces of Occupation BAI Battlefield Air Interdiction BASC Berlin Air Safety Centre BRIXMIS British Commanders-in-Chiefs’ Mission to the Commanders of the Soviet Forces in Germany CAP Combat Air Patrol CAS Close Air Support CBU Cluster Bomb Unit CENTAG Central Army Group CEP Circular Error of Probability CIO Command Intelligence Officer COMARRC Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps COMSOCONE Commander Sector Operations Centre One COMTWOATAF Commander, Second Allied Tactical Air Force CRC Control and Reporting Centre DIS Defence Intelligence Staff FRA First Run Attack FRG Federal Republic of Germany GDR German Democratic Republic GSFG Group of Soviet Forces in Germany THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 5 HAS Hardened Aircraft Shelter HIDACZ High Density Airspace Control Zone HIMEZ High-level Missile Engagement Zone INF Intermediate (Range) Nuclear Forces JHQ Joint Headquarters JTF Joint Task Force LABS Low Altitude Bombing System LGB Laser Guided Bomb LTC Long Term Costings MAXEVAL A station-sponsored major exercise in preparation for a formal TACEVAL (often complemented by smaller scale MINEVALs). MDAP Mutual Defence Aid Pact MEZ Missile Engagement Zone NATINADS NATO Integrated Air Defence System NORTHAG Northern Army Group OAS Offensive Air Support OCA Offensive Counter Air OLF Operational Low Flying OP Observation Post ORBAT Order of Battle PGM Precision Guided Munitions QRA Quick Reaction Alert SACEUR Supreme Allied Commander, Europe SAM Surface-to-air Missile SHAPE Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe SHORAD Short Range Air Defence SUPPLAN The detailed arrangements for a specific aspect of a NATO commander’s responsibilities, each plan being identified by a standard alphabetical code, eg a SUPPLAN ALFA covered his nuclear operations and a MIKE his airspace management procedures. TAA (Soviet) Tactical Air Army TACEVAL Tactical Evaluation – a NATO-sponsored assessment of a unit’s wartime efficiency TFR Terrain Following Radar UAV Unmanned Air Vehicles UE Unit Establishment USAFE United States Air Forces in Europe WP Warsaw Pact 6 THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 This map covers the RAF’s half-a-century in Germany; it does not relate to any specific date. It shows the broad division of airspace and the locations of HQs, airfields and other facilities used by the RAF from time- to-time. 1 Sylt 2 Schleswigland 3 Jever 4 Oldenburg 5 Ahlhorn 6 Finkenwerder 7 Lübeck 8 Gatow 9 Havelsee 10 Fassberg 11 Celle 12 Wunstorf 13 Bückeburg 14 Bad Eilsen (HQ BAFO & 2nd TAF) 15 Nordhorn Range 16 Gütersloh 17 Laarbruch 18 Brüggen 19 Wildenrath 20 Rheindahlen (HQ RAFG & 2ATAF) 21 Wegberg Hospital 22 Geilenkirchen 23 Wahn THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 7 8 THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 Welcome by the Chairman of the Royal Air Force Historical Society Air Vice-Marshal Nigel Baldwin CB CBE On behalf of the Society let me thank the Commandant and Air Commodore White for helping us mount this seminar today. In its twelve-year history, the Society has held some of its most successful ventures here at Bracknell with all that that has meant for bringing together those who made our history and those who would gain by studying it. With the demise of the RAF Staff College, we, in the Society, have held our breath while the dust has settled hoping that we would, one day, be allowed back in. So long may such arrangements as today continue. It is a real pleasure for those of us who have retired to be back on what is still, in our hearts, an RAF station, but particularly to be amongst a younger generation in uniform. Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew ‘Sandy’ Wilson has masterminded today’s programme ably assisted by Gp Capt Stuart Peach – the RAF’s Director of Defence Studies. I and my Committee are very grateful to them – in a voluntary Society such as ours, such enthusiasts are key to any success we may have, not just for an event such as today, but in also producing eventually, alongside my small editorial team, the written record which, of course, will go to members all over the world. Sir ‘Sandy’ knows a bit about RAF Germany. he had six tours there flying Hunters, Phantoms, and Jaguars in the tactical fighter recce role – all on No 2 Sqn, eventually as the Squadron Commander. And two tours on the staff of the Headquarters at Rheindahlen firstly as ADC to the CinC, (the now Marshal of the Royal Air Force) Sir Denis Spotswood who we are delighted to see here today and then, twenty-three years later, as the Commander-in-Chief himself. Indeed the last CinC before the Command was disbanded in 1993. Sir Sandy, it is a pleasure for me to ask you to chair today. THE RAF IN GERMANY 1945-1993 9 Introduction by Seminar Chairman Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Wilson KCB AFC First may I, as your Chairman for the day, add my own very warm welcome. It is a great pleasure to be back at Bracknell amongst so many old friends and, of course, to have the young blood of the Advanced Staff Course with us. Whilst this is clearly not the Bracknell most of us remember it is amazing to see what you get these days for £12M! I am sharing the platform with four fellow members from No 63 Course. Twenty-five years may seem a long time but in many ways it seems only yesterday. When we arrived here the Commandant of the day, Alisdair Steadman, made a point of telling us all that we should enjoy ourselves as the previous course had had rather a miserable time. At my farewell interview he made the point of telling me that he thought that I had taken his word rather too literally! Today we review the history of the Royal Air Force in Germany from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to 1993 when I had the sad task of closing down the RAF’s last overseas Command. This 48-year period covers a significant time in European history, centred of course on the Cold War, beginning with the Berlin Airlift and ending with the breaching of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent reunification of Germany. As such it is by far the longest period of RAF history ever reviewed by the Historical Society. We did give thought to restricting our attention to RAF Germany only, since the Command was not formed until 1959 but decided that from a historical point of view, we would have left out perhaps the most significant part – namely the transition from 2TAF through BAFO – which is so essential to a proper understanding of what was the front line of the RAF for nearly 50 years. Against this background you will appreciate that setting today’s agenda has not been an easy exercise. On the one hand we clearly had to cover the ground, and on the other, we wanted to have the main focus on operational matters. Whilst some might have reservations about reviewing such recent history, I believe this must be balanced against the advantages of talking about events and issues that are still very much in the corporate memory.