Erding Air Base

The closure was a direct result of the 2011 restructuring of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), known as the 'Neuausrichtung der Bundeswehr'. This strategic reform aimed to create a more modern, efficient, and deployable military by consolidating forces, reducing the number of personnel, and closing numerous military installations across Germany. Erding Air Base, primarily a logistics and maintenance hub, was identified for closure as its functions were either phased out or relocated to other bases like Manching and Landsberg/Lech to streamline weapon system support.

The former air base is currently undergoing one of the largest urban conversion projects in Bavaria. The vast 340-hectare site is being transformed into a new district for the city of Erding. The master plan includes the development of residential neighborhoods for over 6,000 people, commercial and business parks, schools, recreational areas, and public green spaces. The runway and most of the military airfield infrastructure have been dismantled to make way for new construction. While the majority of the site is for civilian redevelopment, a small, separate section continues to be used by the Bundeswehr for the 'Wehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Werk- und Betriebsstoffe (WIWeB)', a military research institute for materials and supplies.

Erding Air Base has a long and significant history spanning from the Third Reich to the end of the Cold War and beyond.

- **WWII Era:** Construction began in 1935 for the Nazi Luftwaffe. During World War II, it was a major operational airfield and a critical industrial site for the final assembly and flight testing of Messerschmitt aircraft, including the world's first operational jet fighter, the Me 262. Due to its importance, it was a primary target for Allied bombing raids.

- **Post-War and US Occupation:** In April 1945, the base was captured by the US Army. It was subsequently rebuilt and operated by the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) as Erding Air Depot. It served as a vital maintenance, supply, and logistics center for USAFE during the early Cold War and played a crucial support role during the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949).

- **Bundeswehr Era:** In 1956, the base was handed back to the newly formed West German Air Force (Luftwaffe). It became the central and most important maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility for the German Air Force. For nearly 60 years, it was responsible for the deep maintenance of numerous iconic aircraft, including the F-104 Starfighter, Fiat G.91, C-160 Transall, F-4 Phantom II, and the Panavia Tornado. It also handled maintenance for engines, avionics, and components for the Eurofighter Typhoon. The primary unit stationed there for most of its later life was the 'Luftwaffeninstandhaltungsregiment 1' (Air Force Maintenance Regiment 1), later renamed 'Waffensystemunterstützungszentrum 1' (Weapon System Support Center 1). The former ICAO code for the active airfield was ETSE.

There are absolutely no plans or prospects for reopening Erding Air Base as an airport. The land has been permanently re-designated for civilian urban development. The ongoing, large-scale construction of housing, commercial buildings, and public infrastructure makes any future aviation use impossible. The city of Erding and the state of Bavaria are fully committed to the site's conversion into a new urban quarter, and the process is irreversible.