Comment(s):
TBC: To Be Confirmed.
The first participant for exercise Falcon Leap arrive on Saturday
September 4. Two C-130J.30's assigned to the 317th Airlift Wing (39th or
40th Airlift Squadron) landed at Eindhoven air base after their flight
from Goose Bay, Canada.
A third Hercules assigned to 317th AW should also make the journey from
Canada.
Falcon Leap 2021 will mark the first-time helicopters will participate
in the exercise. The Czech air force will sent one Mi-171Sh, a version
of the Mi-17 Hip. The U.S. Army will participate with two helicopters
reported to be CH-47F Chinooks. These can be either from Germany based
B/1-214 GSAB "Big Windy" or B/2-1 GSAB "Diesel". 2-1 GSAB is part of the
1st Combat Aviation Brigade stationed at Fort Riley, KS. Marshall AAF,
KS and currently on deployment in Europe in support of
Operation Atlantic Resolve.
USAF:
Air Mobility Command 317th Airlift Wing is composed of the 39th and 40th
Airlift Squadrons and are based at Dyess AFB, Texas. At the Texan base
also B-1B Lancer bombers assigned to 7th Bomb Wing are housed.
Germany would take part during the second week of the exercise. In
previous editions the German air force participated with the C-160D
Transall. Later this month a farewell will be organized and the
transport aircraft will be withdrawn from service. Its mission has been
taken over by the A400M.
The Royal Air Force is said to have cancelled its participation due to
the high operations tempo of its transport aircraft in the last week
flying refugees from Afghanistan to the Middle East and the United
Kingdom.
Which aircraft will 'show up' at Eindhoven air base will be clear the
next two weeks as the Afghanistan mission effected also the other
countries transport fleet.
Updates will be made when more information will become available. |
