Starting today, the Armed Forces will train for ten days in supersonic interception maneuvers with the Eurofighters. A sonic boom will therefore be heard several times, the Ministry of Defense announced. The training runs until May 12th. Two supersonic flights are planned per day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
“This training is essential for our air force. The terrible war in Ukraine has made us realize how important reliable air protection is for a sovereign state. This must be practiced constantly, and this also in the supersonic range,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP).
Loud bang possible
The flights cover almost the entire federal territory with the exception of metropolitan areas and the federal states of Tyrol and Vorarlberg. The flight areas are determined in cooperation with civil air traffic control. In order to keep the noise level as low as possible, we fly at high altitudes.
The supersonic speed starts at around 1,200 kilometers per hour. If a Eurofighter approaches this speed, shock waves occur on the aircraft. These shock waves can be perceived on the ground as a sonic boom.
