The Quest for Relevant Air Power

160 │ GERMAN Air Force
Air Force Structure 4 (see fig. 1) was implemented between
1990 and 1994. 51 One of its major goals was overall force reduction
in order to abide by the limitations set by the 2 plus 4 Treaty. 52
It envisaged three command layers between the Air Staff and the
operational wings/units. Directly subordinate to the Air Staff were
the Air Force Office, in charge of training and administration; the
German Air Force Support Command, responsible for combat
service support and materiel; and the German Air Force Command.
Subordinate to the GAF Command were the Air Transport
Command and two regional air force commands, the Air Force
Commands North and South. Two air divisions (AD) were subordinate
to each of the regional air force commands. 53 Unlike previous
ADs, which had been functionally configured, the ADs were
henceforth geographically configured, each containing a large
cross section of GAF capabilities. 54
Total combat strength of Air Force Structure 4 contained four
air defence wings, five ground-attack and one reconnaissance wing
(RW), and six SAM wings. 55 This corresponded to a reduction of
five flying wings and a significant reduction of SAM wings since
1989, when the West German Air Force had 11 ground-attack,
two reconnaissance, and two fighter wings (FW) in its inventory. 56
Chief of the Air Staff
Air Staff
GAF Support
Command
GAF
Command
GAF Office
GAF
Command South
Air Transport
Command
GAF
Command North
1st AD 2d AD 3d AD 4th AD
Figure 1. Air Force Structure 4 (GAF) simplified diagram. (Adapted
from Hans-Werner Jarosch, ed., Immer im Einsatz: 50 Jahre Luftwaffe
[Hamburg, Germany: Verlag E. S. Mittler & Sohn, 2005], 129.)