Missile Wing 2 (german: Flugkörpergeschwader 2, FKG 2) was a unit of the German Air Force. It was activated on 1 January 1965 in Lechfeld with two subordinate units: Missile Group 21 (german: Flugkörpergruppe 21) and Missile Group 22 (german: Flugkörpergruppe 22). Missile Group 21 moved to

Nörvenich Nörvenich is a municipality in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located about east of Düren. See also *Nörvenich Air Base Nörvenich Air Base (Fliegerhorst Nörvenich) is a German Air Force ...

in September 1965. In 1976, the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) site at Arsbeck became operational for FKG 2, and QRA Nörvenich was used for training. In November 1986, QRA Arsbeck was closed. Warheads were under U.S. control, released only in wartime conditions. Warheads were controlled by the 85th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment (85th USAFAD) from 1969 to 1991.

Pershing 1b The Pershing II Weapon System was a solid-fueled two-stage medium-range ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System as the United States Army's primary nuclear-capable thea ...

was a single stage, reduced range version of the

Pershing II The Pershing II Weapon System was a solid-fueled two-stage medium-range ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System as the United States Army's primary nuclear-capable thea ...

with the same range as the Pershing 1a. The Pershing II launcher was designed so that the cradle could be easily repositioned to handle the shorter missile airframe. The intent was to replace the German Air Force's Pershing 1a systems with Pershing 1b, since

SALT II The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) were two rounds of bilateral conferences and corresponding international treaties involving the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War superpowers dealt with arms control in two rounds o ...

limited the range of German-owned missiles. The German government agreed to destroy its Pershing 1a systems when the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. signed the

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty, formally the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles; / ДРСМ� ...

on 27 May 1988, thus the Pershing 1b was never deployed. Although not covered by the treaty, West Germany agreed unilaterally to the removal of the Pershing 1a missiles from its inventory in 1991, and the missiles were destroyed in the United States. The wing was deactivated on 31 December 1991.

Commanders

* Oberst Hans-Wilhelm Fleckner 1965-1969 * Oberstleutnant Heinz Eschershaus 1969-1971 * Oberst Egon Winkler 1971-1976 * Oberst Heinrich Basse 1976-1982 * Oberst Heinz Kohler 1982-1985 * Oberst Manfred Günter 1985-1990

Gallery

File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F029235-0037, Nürburgring, Bundeswehrparade zum NATO-Jubiläum.jpg, West German Air Force Pershing 1 on parade, 6 June 1969 File:OR 10.596B 20.png, Members of the West German Air Force receive Pershing 1a equipment in early 1971 File:Pershing 1A des FKG 2.jpg, Pershing 1a on display with FKG 2, August 1989 File:Pershing1A - Luftwaffenmuseum Gatow.jpg, West German Air Force Pershing 1a at the

Militärhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow The Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr – Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow (''Bundeswehr Museum of Military History – Berlin-Gatow Airfield''; formally known as ''Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr''), is the Berlin branch of the Bundeswehr Military ...

, Germany

References

External links

Traditionsgemeinschaft FKG 2
{{Pershing missile Missile units of the German Air Force Military units and formations established in 1965 Military units and formations disestablished in 1991 Pershing missile