Bundeswehr Resumes Unrestricted Low-Altitude Flight Training
Berlin – the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) have fully lifted restrictions on low-altitude flight training, ending limits on both annual flight hours and the duration pilots can remain at lower altitudes during exercises. The changes, finalized in May, mark a notable shift in operational readiness following a gradual easing of constraints initiated after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Previously, Bundeswehr pilots were limited to a maximum of 20 minutes when flying below certain altitudes during training exercises. A quota system capping annual flight hours was also in place. The removal of these restrictions signals a renewed focus on preparing pilots for a wider range of operational scenarios and enhancing the Bundeswehr’s overall capabilities amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
The easing of restrictions began in July 2023 with the abolishment of the annual flight hour and time limits. The latest move, implemented at the beginning of May, allows pilots to spend unlimited time “over a training target below certain altitudes,” according to sources within the German Defense Ministry.This development comes as part of a broader effort to modernize and strengthen the Bundeswehr, spurred by the evolving security landscape in europe.
