5th Air Force Division (Germany)

Last updated

5th Air Force Division
5. LWD Wappen.jpg
Insignia
Active
  • 1963–1971
  • 1990–1994
CountryFlag of Germany.svg  Germany
Branch Roundel of Germany - Type 1 - Border.svg German Air Force
Part of COA LwFuKdo.svg Luftwaffenführungskommando
Garrison/HQ

The 5th Air Force Division (German : 5. Luftwaffendivision, 5. LWD) was a division of the Bundeswehr's German Air Force. It was located from 1963 to 1971 in Birkenfeld and from 1990 to 1994 in Strausberg (Eggersdorf). It was the successor of the Kommando LSK/LV.

Contents

Overview

The 5th Air Division was formed in April 1963, after the creation in Trier of Fliegerführer Süd in 1959, which became Fliegerdivision Süd (Air Division South) in Karlsruhe in 1961. The division headquarters was located in Birkenfeld; up to the time of the first division were also assigned to ground-based air defense forces. From 1971 the division's units fell under the command of the 2nd Air Division.

The division was reformed after German reunification. On 3 October 1990 the existence of the National People's Army (NVA) ended. A preparation staff for the 5th Air Division was created on 3 October 1990 at Eggersdorf / Strausberg, headed by major general Bernhard Mende.

At that time some of the former NVA establishments existed with the existing personnel structures, including the LSK/LV command continued. The command over the forces of the former LSK/LV, however, was from 3 October 1990 with the leadership of the armed forces. This transitional period ended on 1 April 1991 with the creation of the 5th Air Division. In 1994 the 5th Air Division was disbanded and its units transferred to the 3rd Air Division, which was itself disbanded in 2006.

Commanders from 1990 to 1994

The commanders of the 5th Air Force from 1990 to 1994 were: [1]

NameStartEnd
Major General Bernhard Mende3 October 199030 September 1991
Major General Axel-Björn Kleppien1 October 1991May 1993
Major General Jürgen HöcheMay 199331 March 1994

Commanders from 1963 to 1971

The commanders of the 5. Luftwaffendivision from 1963 to 1971 were: [2]

NameStartEnd
Major General Kurt Kuhlmey 196331 March 1968
Major General Eberhard Gralka1 April 196830 June 1969
Major General Hans-Werner Mehlen1 July 196930 June 1971

Units of the 5th Air Force

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National People's Army</span> Armed forces of the German Democratic Republic (1956–1990)

The National People's Army were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1956 to 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Army</span> Land warfare branch of Germanys military

The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr together with the Marine and the Luftwaffe. As of 2024, the German Army had a strength of 63,047 soldiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military district</span> Regional military unit size designation

Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Air Force</span> Air warfare branch of the German military

The German Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of West Germany. After the reunification of West and East Germany in 1990, it integrated parts of the air force of the former German Democratic Republic, which itself had been founded in 1956 as part of the National People's Army. There is no organizational continuity between the current German Air Force and the former Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht founded in 1935, which was completely disbanded in 1945/46 after World War II. The term Luftwaffe that is used for both the historic and the current German air force is the German-language generic designation of any air force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Forces of the National People's Army</span> Air force of East Germany

The Air Forces of the National People's Army was the Air Force of East Germany. As with the Landstreitkräfte, the Volksmarine, and the Border Troops, it was a military branch of the National People's Army (NVA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the German Army Aviation Corps</span>

The history of the German Army Aviation Corps goes back to the time when the German Wehrmacht first began to develop helicopters.

An air division is an air force or naval air formation that is roughly equivalent to an army division. An air division is usually commanded by a major general and it is composed of multiple wings, groups, air brigades, or equivalently-sized air force formations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic</span> Military unit

The Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic was the border guard of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1946 to 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th Panzerlehr Brigade (Bundeswehr)</span> Military unit

The 9th Panzerlehr Brigade is a formation of about 5,000 men strong within the German Armed Forces or Bundeswehr, which is subordinated to the 1st Panzer Division in Hanover. The bulk of the brigade is stationed in Munster. Two battalions are based in Neustadt am Rübenberge. The brigade has become the "showcase of the German Army" as a result of its German Army Combat Vehicle and Aircraft Demonstration Exercises which it has conducted for decades. These exercises demonstrate the capability of the Army's fighting vehicles and aircraft and how they operate jointly in various scenarios. The formation is classified as an armoured brigade within the Bundeswehr's intervention forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of National Defence (East Germany)</span> Chief administrative arm of the East German National Peoples Army

The Ministry of National Defense was the chief administrative arm of the East German National People's Army. The MND was modeled on the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union. The headquarters of the Ministry was in Strausberg near East Berlin. The Guard Regiment Hugo Eberlein provided security and guard services to the Ministry. The Ministry also had its own publishing house, Military publishing house of the German Democratic Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nachrichtenregiment 14</span> Military unit

The Nachrichenregiment 14 (NR-14) „Harro Schulze-Boysen“ was a signal regiment-sized unit of the National People's Army (NVA) Air Forces of the National People's Army of the former East Germany (GDR). The primary task of that unit consisted in the signal support to the Air Force Command as well as of the Main Operation Centre (MOC), the so-called ZGS LSK/LV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kommando LSK/LV</span> Military unit

The Kommando Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung was the Air Force Staff - and simultaneously the Air Force Command of the National People's Army (NPA), the Air Force of the former German Democratic Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force</span> Former NATO military aviation formation

Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force was a NATO military formation under Allied Air Forces Central Europe tasked with providing air support to NATO's Central Army Group (CENTAG) in the southern portion of West Germany. 4 ATAF commanded all flying units based within its sector and all reinforcements flying into its sector, as well as ground-based radar systems and stations, air defense units and the airfields in its sector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolfgang Thonke</span> East German major general (1938–2019)

Wolfgang Thonke, was a journalist, graduated military scientist, major general, and was the last Deputy Commanding General (A3) of the National People's Army Air Force in the former German Democratic Republic. He was a military aviator/fighter pilot of “performance level I” with more than 1,500 flight hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kommando Landstreitkräfte</span> Military unit

The Kommando Landstreitkräfte was the Army staff — and simultaneously the Army command of the National People's Army (NPA) Land Forces of the former GDR.

Günter Voigt, is a military scientist and retired major general, whose last assignment was as Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff of the Air Forces of the National People's Army in the former East Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolfgang Reinhold</span> Colonel General of DDR

Wolfgang Reinhold was a German Colonel General. He was a Deputy Minister of Defence and, between 1972 and 1989, head of the Kommando LSK/LV of the National People's Army in the German Democratic Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Music Service of the National People's Army</span> Military unit

The Military Music Service of the National People's Army was made up of the Military Bands of the Nationale Volksarmee and the Corps of Drums of the Military Music Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Süß (general)</span> East german general

Hans Süß was a German general of the National People's Army of East Germany. He was also a university professor and commanding officer of the Officers' College of the Air Force and Air Defense. He served as the Inspector of the National People's Army from 1988 to 1990 and Chief of the Friedrich Engels Military Academy in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military District V (East Germany)</span>

Military District V was a military district of the National People's Army of East Germany. It was created in the northern part of the GDR territory, military-administrative territorial association of units, units and military facilities of various branches of service, special troops and services of the Land Forces of the National People's Army and the (military) substitute system of the NVA.

References

  1. "Militärarchiv im Bundesarchiv; eingesehen am 15. Juli 2010". Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  2. Luftwaffe @ bundeswehr.de

52°31′38″N13°49′53″E / 52.52719°N 13.83139°E / 52.52719; 13.83139