Photo By Airman 1st Class Heather Amador Paulino | U.S. Airmen assigned to the 34th Weapons Squadron and service members with the German...... read more read more
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NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — In a demonstration of NATO solidarity and tactical advancement, the U.S. Air Force’s 34th Weapons Squadron recently hosted a delegation from the German Air Force’s Helicopter Wing 64 for a nine-day integration event. The collaboration focused on refining allied combat tactics, advancing rotary-wing strategies and enhancing the development of both nations’ elite weapons school syllabi.
The visiting German delegation included the first three rotary-wing weapons officers in their nation’s history, who established their inaugural weapons instructor course in 2025.
“I am very thankful to have the opportunity to integrate with the U.S. Air Force Weapons School,” said German air force Lt. Col. Marco Grosjean, commander of the 1st Squadron, Helicopter Wing 64. “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.”
The visit culminated a relationship formed in 2024 between Grosjean, and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel Ritter, the 34th WPS commander.
“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.”
Throughout the week, the German officers were immersed in the U.S, Air Force Weapons School environment. They participated in combat search and rescue mission planning cells and flew as observers on complex training sorties involving up to 15 combat platforms, gaining firsthand experience in large-scale integrated operations.
The success of the exchange was strengthened by shared leadership experiences. Ritter, a member of the initial cadre for the HC-130J Combat King II Weapons Instructor Course in 2016, said the challenges his unit faced early on closely mirrored those now being addressed by Grosjean’s team.
This mutual understanding fostered productive discussions on topics ranging from unit culture to syllabus development. The units’ guiding principles also reflect a shared philosophy. The German air force Weapons School’s motto, “Fight, Lead, Instruct,” aligns with the U.S. Air Force Weapons School’s charge to “Build, Teach, Lead and Serve.”
The visit concluded with an exchange of heritage items symbolizing the bond between the two squadrons. Both units plan to continue integration efforts to ensure the NATO alliance remains at the forefront of combat airpower.
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2026 16:29 |
| Story ID: | 564851 |
| Location: | NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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