Nörvenich Air Base – May 2025 Operations
In May 2025, Nörvenich Air Base in western Germany offered a busy glimpse into daily operations of the Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 “Boelcke”, home to the Eurofighter Typhoon. This gallery captures local training missions, readiness checks, and launch sequences during a routine flying day.
The base is known for its quick reaction alert (QRA) responsibilities and NATO-integrated role in Central European airspace. Photographed under excellent lighting conditions, the images showcase Eurofighter Typhoons in action on the ramp, taxiways, and during take-offs — highlighting Germany’s frontline multirole fighter in daily service.
➤ Scroll down to view the full photo gallery from Nörvenich Air Base and explore modern German air power up close.
Nörvenich Air Base Germany 5th of May 2025
Nörvenich Air Base (Fliegerhorst Nörvenich) is a key German Air Force (Luftwaffe) airbase located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With the ICAO code ETNN, it serves as the home of Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 "Boelcke", one of the Luftwaffe’s oldest and most prestigious tactical air wings. The wing operates the Eurofighter Typhoon, a highly capable multirole combat aircraft used for both air superiority and ground attack missions.
Historical Background
Originally constructed for the Royal Air Force Germany (RAF Germany) in 1952, Nörvenich Air Base officially opened in August 1954. In 1958, Jagdbombergeschwader 31 (JaBoG 31) was established at the base and became the first German fighter-bomber wing to operate the American-built Republic F-84F Thunderstreak. In January 1959, the unit achieved another milestone by becoming the first German Air Force wing to be integrated into NATO. By 1961, JaBoG 31 was also the first to operate the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a mainstay of many NATO air forces during the Cold War. In July 1983, the base saw the arrival of the Panavia Tornado (PA-200), marking another major aircraft transition. Since June 2010, the unit has been equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon, marking its entry into the era of fourth-generation fighter aircraft.
Notable Events
From 17 to 28 August 2020, Nörvenich Air Base hosted a historic deployment of six F-16C/D “Barak” fighter jets from the Israeli Air Force. This marked the first time in history that Israeli combat aircraft landed on German soil. The deployment was part of Exercise Blue Wings 2020, which involved joint training operations with the resident Eurofighters of TaktLwG 31. This historic moment symbolized the strengthening defense relationship between Germany and Israel.
Temporary Relocation of Tornados
Beginning 13 June 2022, 25 Panavia Tornado IDS aircraft from Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33, usually based at Büchel Air Base, were temporarily relocated to Nörvenich. This move was necessitated by major runway and taxiway renovations at Büchel, with the work expected to continue until approximately 2026.