Bordfliegergruppe 196

Embarked Air Group 196
Bordfliegergruppe 196
Ar 196 aboard the Admiral Hipper
Active	October 1937 - March 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Role	Maritime reconnaissance
Size	Group
Major bases	Wilhelmshaven Kiel-Holtenau Aalborg Pillau Rügen
Engagements	World War II
Disbanded	March 1945
Commanders
Commander (1943-1944)	Gerrit Wiegmink
Aircraft flown
Patrol	Heinkel He 60 Arado Ar 196

Embarked Air Group 196 (German: Bordfliegergruppe 196), was a unit of the German Air Force founded in 1937 and disbanded in 1945. Initially created as a group (German: Gruppe) composed of two squadrons (German: Staffeln), two further squadrons and a staff unit would be added as the group played a role in World War II, providing aircraft for service aboard the German Navy's surface combatants.

During World War I, the German Navy had maintained its own aviation service, the Naval Air Unit (German: Marine-Fliegerabteilung), but this was disbanded upon the signing of the Versailles Treaty, which banned all military aviation in the country as a way of preventing Germany from again becoming a threat to make war on the victorious Allies. Technological developments in naval aviation after the war made it clear that incorporating aircraft into naval operations would be an important part of becoming a credible world-class navy. After the rise to power of the Nazi Party, Germany began a major re-armament effort, forgoing the previous limitations on its military armaments. The navy's new cruisers and pocket battleships were equipped with catapults designed to launch floatplanes for scouting and defense, and new aircraft were developed in the country to meet this need.