Helicopter Wing 64
| Hubschraubergeschwader 64 (Helicopter Wing 64) — III — |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 1 October 2010–present |
| Country |
 Germany
|
| Branch |
.svg){kind=small} German Air Force
|
| Part of | Air Force Combat Command (Kommando Einsatzverbände der Luftwaffe) |
| Garrison/HQ | Laupheim Air Base |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Demps |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Helicopter | CH-53G |
Helicopter Wing 64 (German: Hubschraubergeschwader 64) is a wing of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). Formed in 2010, its headquarters was originally based at Holzdorf Air Base in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, but relocated to Laupheim Air Base on 1 January 2013. It is the only wing within the German Air Force whose weapon systems consist solely of helicopters.
Helicopter Wing 64 consists of three groups and has a total of 60 helicopters of the type CH-53G at its disposal, 48 of which are stationed at Laupheim Air Base, whereas the remaining 12 are based at Holzdorf Air Base.
The origins of Helicopter Wing 64 lie in the airforce's Helicopter Transport Wing 64 founded in 1966. When the wing was disbanded in April 1994 personnel and equipment were absorbed by the other air transport wings of the German Air Force. Some personnel and material was transferred to Holzdorf Air Base and incorporated into the command structure of Air Transport Wing 62.
Helicopter Wing 64 was created on 1 October 2010 when the helicopters previously assigned to Air Transport Wing 62 formed a new unit. Until 1 January 2013 the wing flew predominantly Bell UH-1D which were to be replaced by helicopters of the type NH90. The first helicopter of the type NH90 was handed over to Helicopter Wing 64 on 21 October 2010, three weeks after the formation of the new unit. Initially, three NH90's were being tested at the air base with another five having been delivered by October 2012.
Whereas helicopter units of the German Army Aviation Corps have been deployed in a variety of military missions abroad, mainly as part of KFOR in Kosovo and ISAF in Afghanistan, Helicopter Wing 64 had not been brought into action outside Germany until 2013. However, only weeks after having been established, the wing provided disaster relief when the river Black Elster burst its banks, resulting in dam failures, which caused widespread flooding in Bad Liebenwerda, Löben and the surrounding areas in September and early October 2010. Helicopter Wing 64 clocked a total of 171 flying hours during this operation.
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Wikipedia