Some German regions let fighters maneuver in low-flight zone for first time since 2000

Fighter jets in seven German federal states will again be able to maneuver in a low-flying zone that has not been used since 2000, Der Spiegel magazine wrote quoting the German Air Force, Report informs via TASS.

Jet fighters are now allowed to fly at an altitude of up to 76 meters above the ground for a maximum of two minutes. According to the Bundeswehr, such low-altitude flight zones were used at least until 2000. The exercises are to be held in seven specially designated areas of Germany from Thursday.

These zones cover areas in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. The German army explained the need for such exercises by the changing security situation in Europe. In particular, as Der Spiegel says, it points to the requirements imposed on fighter pilots of Tornado and Eurofighter, as well as the complex interaction with ground troops.

Der Spiegel says that the new low-flight zones are not intended for use by the allies and are applied exclusively to fighters. Transport and special aircraft must maintain a minimum altitude of 500 feet (150 meters). Restrictions on the number of flights at this altitude were lifted last summer. According to the German army, this means that "fighters can now train at low altitudes of 500 feet (150 meters) without restrictions on flight time or maximum annual flight time," the magazine summarizes.