Overview
- Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51, which relocated to Hamburg on Monday, is flying six Tornado jets with about 100 personnel to practise starts and landings that are slotted into the civilian flight schedule between 09:00 and 18:00.
- Commanders say the weeklong exercise, called Dispersed Operations 2026 – Panther Shield, rehearses civil‑military coordination and logistics for defence scenarios and that the jets are operating without weapons.
- Local anti‑noise groups have criticised the use of the Helmut‑Schmidt Airport and demanded an independent assessment, clearer protections for residents and more transparency about health and noise impacts.
- Airport and city officials say the operating permit allows special and military flights and the Bundeswehr has set up a citizen service line at 0800 8620730 for questions and noise complaints.
- One Tornado aborted a start on Tuesday because of a technical problem that was later reported fixed, and the exercise follows similar dispersed‑operations drills at Bremen, Münster and Lübeck that have raised wider debate over using civilian hubs in crises.