Nordholz Naval Air Station
Marinefliegergeschwader-3
Based at Nordholz Naval Air Station (Marinefliegerhorst Nordholz, to give its correct title) in the region of Lower Saxony, northern Germany is Naval Air Wing 3 'Graf Zeppelin' of the German Navy. MFG-3 was first formed on 1st July 1964 and in rememberance of the 42 Zepellins of the former Imperial Navy stationed at the Nordholz airship base during World War One, Federal President Heinrich Lubke awarded the name 'Graf Zeppelin' to the unit in July 1967.
MFG-3 currently operates a mix of Lockheed P-3C Orions, Breguet Atlantics, Westland Sea Lynx and the Dornier Do.228LM. Some 2,000 civilian and military personnel are based at Nordholz, with the wing providing surveillance & reconnaissance, anti-submarine search, SAR, pollution control and Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) operations. Soon to join the currently based aircraft will be the Westland Sea Kings from MFG-5 at Kiel/Holtenau Naval Air Station. However they are sanctioned to be replaced in the next few years by the NH.90 helicopters which are currently on order for the German Navy.
The Lockheed P-3C CUP Orion arrived at Nordholz in 2006, eight having been purchased from the Royal Netherlands Navy.
They replaced the Breguet Atlantic which had been in Marineflieger service since 1966, although two Atlantics were kept as SIGINT platforms.
60-06 basks in glorious sunshine on the ramp at Nordholz 24th June 2008
As we went to press a P-3 Orion was being prepared for a three month sojourn to Djibouti to take part in
"Operation Enduring Freedom", the first such deployment for a P-3 from the Marineflieger.
A MFG-3 Lockheed Orion gets towed towards the hangers after being positioned at a dispersal for us to photograph
As mentioned above, the Orion's replaced the French built Atlantics. Twenty of these were delivered between 1966 and 1967.
Five were converted to SIGnals INTelligence (SIGINT) versions during 1969 & 1970 and two remain in service with 2 Staffel,with their expected withdrawal in 2010
Dornier Do.228LM serial 57-04 gets airborne from Nordholz for a morning mission.
The three man crew can expect anything up to six hours in the air. The underslung pod is a sideways looking airborne radar (SLAR)
Originally four Do.228's were purchased, but two were later sold on the civilian market. Today the two remaining aircraft are operated on behalf of the German Government (with MFG-3 crews) for maritime pollution control. They use a variety of radar, infrared & ultraviolet sensors, microwave radiometers and fluorescent lasers as well as video cameras to detect ocean pollution. The other aircraft (57-01) has recently been painted in a dark blue and white colour scheme and 57-04 will follow suit eventually.
The third type flown at Nordholz is the Westland Super Lynx Mk.88A as seen above in the form of 83-03.
The Lynx first entered service with MFG-3 in 1981 as the standard type 88, nineteen of which were delivered. From 2001 onwards the remaining fifteen were upgraded to Mk.88A standard, plus seven new build Mk.88A's were delivered. These serve with 3 Staffel at MFG-3 for SAR, light transport and maritime surveillance & reconnaissaince duties
83-12 gets airborne at Nordholz Air base on 24th June 2008. Note the United Nations titles
83-09 sporting a "Lynx" colour scheme on its rear three quarter's
An MFG-3 Lynx in the standard German Navy scheme goes through its final checks at Nordholz before its mission
Super Lynx 83-12 in action at Nordholz on 24th June 2008
Although a German Army machine this Sikorsky CH-53G is included as it visited on 24th June 2008.
Nordholz gets a large number of Army helo's stopping for fuel etc due to it's location and whilst we were there a Bolkow 105 and a Navy Sea King from MFG-5 at Kiel also stopped by.
Thanks go to Oberleutenant Jan Frederik Holst at MFG-3 for assistance in arranging our visit and escorting us at Nordholz