The Quest for Relevant Air Power

166 │ GERMAN Air Force
Amongst the systems that continued to be operated, 24 MiG-29s
and three Airbus A310s were the most prominent ones. 88 The latter
actually represented a milestone step for the GAF and formed
the nucleus for the GAF’s current Airbus fleet. 89 Throughout the
1990s, the MiG-29s were sought-after sparring partners for allied
air forces. 90
In early 1990, the East German military hoped that there would
be separate armed forces on the former East German territory,
which would not be integrated into an alliance system. Highranking
East German officers thus supported the so-called theory
of two armed forces in a reunified Germany. 91 However, shortly
prior to the reunification of Germany, on 28 September 1990, the
remaining generals and admirals of the East German armed forces
were made redundant by the last government of the German
Democratic Republic. 92 Being too closely entangled with the former
socialist regime, they were not offered a second chance. 93 The
directives by West German defence minister Gerhard Stoltenberg
were unambiguous. The armed forces of a reunified Germany
were to be structured according to the example of the West German
armed forces, both in form and attitude. 94
On 3 October 1990, the reunified German armed forces
reached a strength of 620,000 personnel. According to the results
of the 2 plus 4 negotiations, this number had to be reduced
to 370,000 by 1994, with originally 82,400 airmen planned. In
light of these reductions, former East German personnel were
integrated according to requirements. 95 In 1989 the peacetime
strength of the East German Air Force amounted to 34,600. In
September 1990, the strength had shrunk to approximately
18,000. These reductions were due to a number of reasons. For
instance, conscripts no longer turned up for national service, or
others did not want to collaborate with the former enemy. In the
wake of reunification, numbers continued to shrink steadily.
Many left the armed forces on their own initiative, some were
not deemed suitable for Western standards, and others had to
leave because of their involvement in the former East German
internal security apparatus. 96 All airmen that aspired to be reemployed
by the GAF had to undergo a screening that lasted up to
two years. 97 A total of 2,500 (mostly officers) filed an application