The Luftwaffe has moved the first two Panavia Tornado IDS aircraft from Tactical Air Wing 33 back to Büchel Air Base, restoring flying from the wing’s home station after four years at Nörvenich. The return follows the latest phase of refurbishment at Büchel, where legacy kit has been removed and new equipment installed ahead of the first German F-35A Lightning II arrivals in 2027.
The Tornados came back from the ILA 2026 air show, and Büchel is again handling flight operations. The base’s reopening to local flying signals the transition is far enough advanced to support active operations while F-35 integration work continues.