The visiting German delegation included the first three rotary-wing weapons officers in German Air Force history, following the establishment of the country’s first rotary-wing weapons instructor course in 2025. The event marked a further step in a partnership established in 2024 between German Air Force Lt. Col. Marco Grosjean and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel Ritter, commander of the 34th Weapons Squadron.
“I am very thankful to have the opportunity to integrate with the U.S. Air Force Weapons School,” Grosjean said. “This is a special privilege because I view the U.S. Air Force Weapons School as the benchmark for training aircrews to an expert level in rotary-wing tactics.”
“We learned a lot during this week, and we will integrate this experience into future German air force rotary-wing weapons instructor courses,” he added. According to the U.S. Air Force, the German officers participated in combat search and rescue mission planning and observed complex training sorties involving up to 15 combat aircraft and platforms.
The exchange focused on refining combat tactics, improving rotary-wing operational strategies and strengthening weapons instructor training. U.S. officials said the German officers gained direct exposure to large-scale integrated air operations during the programme.
“Marco and his cadre are blazing a new path for the German rotary-wing community, and it is an honor to be part of their journey and to have our teams collaborate,” Ritter said. “There are numerous challenges both of our units are addressing that align across our respective communities, and I am excited to see their efforts culminate in their second weapons school course and first German air force combat search and rescue unit in 2028.”
The U.S. Air Force said the cooperation was reinforced by shared leadership experiences and similar organisational challenges faced by both units during the development of new weapons instructor programmes. Ritter previously served as a member of the initial cadre for the HC-130J Combat King II Weapons Instructor Course established in 2016.
Officials said discussions during the visit covered topics including unit culture, training methods and syllabus development. The two organisations also highlighted similarities in their guiding principles, with the German Air Force Weapons School motto, “Fight, Lead, Instruct,” reflecting the U.S. Air Force Weapons School’s emphasis on “Build, Teach, Lead and Serve.”
The visit concluded with an exchange of heritage items between the two squadrons as a symbol of continued cooperation. Both sides said they plan to continue integration efforts aimed at strengthening NATO combat airpower capabilities.
