Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft The Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft ( ) or ( ( " WTD 61 " ) ) is one of several testing centres of the German Armed Forces . Its tasks are the testing and evaluating of military aircraft and aerial weapon systems . The centre is also responsible for certification s and inspection s of modifications made on aircraft already in service with the German Armed Forces . The Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft is not integrated into the command structure of the military branches of the German Armed Forces but is a branch of Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment , Information Technology and In - Service Support ( " Bundesamt für Ausrüstung , Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr " ( " BAAINBw " ) ) which is directly subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defence . Founded in 1957 , the centre is based at Manching Air Base . The unit has a strength of about 650 personnel , 50 of which are members of the armed forces , the rest are civilian . Tasks . The responsibility of the Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft is to ensure that only safe , effective and efficient weapon systems are introduced into service with the German Armed Forces and to evaluate if the systems tested fulfil the requirements expected . The centre also carries out trials on and evaluations of weapon systems which are not planned to become part of the German Armed Forces inventory . Notably , this happened after the German reunification in 1990 , when a large variety of former East German aircraft from the National People ' s Army became available . The specific tasks of Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft are defined as : Structure . The Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft has a number of subdivisions . Each subdivision is assigned a specialist task . Within each subdivision there are further specialised departments . History . Following the foundation of the German Armed Forces ( " Bundeswehr " ) in November 1955 , the need for an institution to test military aircraft became apparent . On 1 October 1997 the Testing Centre for Military Aerial Equipment ( " Erprobungsstelle fü militärisches Luftgerät " ) was founded , the predecessor of the Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft . The centre was based at Oberpfaffenhofen Airfield . Initially , the tasks of this new centre were to create the structure and procedures for the testing centre . Once this was completed , the centre was operational and began the testing and evaluation procedure of aerial military equipment selected for possible procurement by the German Armed Forces . Parts of the testing centre were relocated to Manching Air Base in 1967 . The fact that Manching Air Base was also used by Reconnaissance Wing 51 at that time , restricted the testing of new aircraft . Consequently in 1968 , a new airfield was selected , Giebesltadt Airfield , to house the units previously based at Manching Air Base . In 1969 , all units of the testing centre were concentrated at Manching Air Base . In 1987 , the centre was renamed " Wehrtechnische Dienststelle für Luftfahrzeuge - Musterprüfwesen für Luftfahrtgerät der Bundeswehr " ( " Wehrtechnische Dienstelle 61 " ( " WTD 61 " ) ) . Current projects . Amongst other projects , the Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft is currently engaged in testing , evaluating and developing the following systems :