PAC Protected Avionics Centre RAF Laarbruch

We locate the PAC (Protected Avionic Centre) bunker at RAF Laarbruch. This bunker was built in the 1980's to provide workshop space for a new and Top Secret Device.
This was an Electronic warefare ECM (Electronic Counter Measure) device that was fitted to the Panavia Tornado ECR.
The Bunker was built to house all the electrical and avionic bays, flight systems, comms, radar and ECM, including the Top Secret Weapon (skyshadow)
It was so secret that the Soviet's moved spy satellites to carry out counter reconnaissance.
Dave served at RAF Laarbruch in the late 1970's. He mistook this complex for the 26 Squadron Communications Bunker which was a lot smaller (located behind the MT Flight).
The former Royal Air Force Station Laarbruch, more commonly known as RAF Laarbruch ICAO EDUL (from 1 January 1995 ETUL) was a Royal Air Force station, a military airfield, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands. The Station's motto was Eine feste Burg (German for 'A Mighty Fortress').
The site now operates as the civilian Weeze Airport, in the Lower Rhine region of Germany. The airport also happens to be less commonly known as Niederrhein Airport.
Credit Music by; thewilburproject.co.uk/
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#ALWexploration #RAFLaarbruch #ColdWar

[@kevinoneill1960]

This is the PAC - Protected Avionic Centre. It housed the workshops for all the (Shhhh - its a secret!)

[@ALWResearchTeam]

That’s great information. Thanks for watching and Commenting.

[@kevinoneill1960]

@@ALWResearchTeam The PAC is actually one massive concrete building resting on shock absorbers INSIDE another massive protective shell - the expansion joints you continually mentioned - you only walked around the outside shell. The big tube that you called a "Water Tank" was actually the Flight Simulator - built for Jaguars but may have contained a Tornado Sim too.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Ah brilliant information. Thank You :)

[@ashleyphotog]

@@kevinoneill1960 I'm pretty certain it became a tornado sim later, as I believe I remember going in there on a visit.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Great information. Thank You.

[@ginamary-rj6vs]

I loved in Weeze in 1991. My hubby worked in the PAC. Loved it there

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Oh wow! The PAC looked like a good place to work apart from the heat

[@UrbanFoxyTheExplorer]

What an interesting place, thanks for another awesome video 😊

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Laarbruch is an amazing place.

[@bhupindergoindi8754]

I Used to work in EES from 1985-1988 which was not far from this building. We were in the process of moving into the PAC from August -December1988.

[@ginamary-rj6vs]

I was there from 1991 to 1994. My husband was there as well. EES, ECM bay. I wonder if you knew him. Of course I was known as a wife of. Cheeky back then. Best times tho

[@Adzey156]

Good video nice see u back out with dave. What a place that was sum nice cars too there thanks for sharing ALW EXPLORATION

[@ALWResearchTeam]

You’re welcome. Thanks for watching

[@WelshLad.]

Cracking video guy's and thanks for sharing.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thanks Welshlad52

[@ALWResearchTeam]

I really appreciate your feedback 😎

[@Adventures_with_Sog]

Another very interesting video from your Germany trip. Thanks for sharing, guys. 👍

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thank You so much GTR 😎

[@onlocationwithscott]

Very cool spot...loves the drone shots at the end! Cheers!

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thank You for watching

[@Urbanlad-Yorkshire]

Wow still watching it’s awesome love it I’m hoping I get the chance to visit this place awesome explore well done guys 👍👊

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hi Urban Lad. Thanks buddy. It sure was a big place

[@theurbanlegenduk1760]

I loved videos like this that bunker was massive

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thanks Urban Legend

[@theurbandon5902]

Absolutely brilliant 👍 Well done chaps. I enjoyed this one, Nice trip down memory lane for Dave 👍 Thank you Gentlemen

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thanks Donny Explorer

[@didsnuggit]

Thanks Donny Explorer it was really good to be back in Germany after 40 years,

[@MrBarrylittle79]

I find your videos amazing and informative

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thanks Barry

[@stephanroelvink3792]

nice video, i was here in 2013 and i came back here today, it's a fascinating massive concrete block. in 2013 it looked very clean, no bushes and such. i would love to see the rooms inside

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello there, the PAC sure is a sight to behold :-)

[@didsnuggit]

this was the bunker i manned communication equipment in during the cold war

[@ALWResearchTeam]

😎😎

[@NOWThatsRichy]

That was quite interesting, watched several of your Germany trip vids, how long were you out there, you were lucky there were no movement restrictions (Covid related).

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hey Richy, thanks. We were there for a full week. There were no restrictions during our visit but they’re in full clampdown now

[@Kirtlington-Bandit]

Was in the barrack block you saw in the opening section remembering it being built around 86/87.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello Andy, we're going back to Laarbruch next year, is there any area you would like me to make a video about? Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Kirtlington-Bandit]

ALW Exploration - haven’t made it back myself like to see the old haunts single strasse etc . Is the 20 squadron hanger the supposed haunting hanger still standing. Wasn’t there a rumour about some bunker left over from the war in the same area.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

I shall investigate this 😎

[@ALWResearchTeam]

We will check this area out :)

[@TELBOYO10]

@@ALWResearchTeam HAS 27 was still there a couple of years back.

[@janthomas9214]

There is another bunker of this kind at RAF Brüggen. It seems like the same building. Do you know something about that?

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello Jan :) not been to RAF Brüggen yet

[@ashleyphotog]

I lived there as a kid and always wondered what was inside.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Ooh that’s interesting! Thanks for watching and commenting :)

[@pascalakker4611]

When you walked out , take the door on the left , its open and what you see there , you walked between 2 walls and its so creepy over there

[@dartt51]

That bit around 13.30 that you say is a water tank if I remember right that was the Harrier simulator facility.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello Colin Logue, that’s great information thank you.

[@ThomassGamingAdventures]

Looks spooky in there

[@ALWResearchTeam]

It’s not too bad Thomas

[@budgietrousers8275]

The camp is now Weeze Airport, so how did you manage to get on there, isn't there airport security?

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello there. Yes it is a very secure site. We had a permission visit.

[@taquila6894]

I used to work inside the PAC when it was first built. I think we moved in either late 88 or early 89. It was the second line test & repair facility for comms radar & Flt systems equipment for the Tornado aircraft. A horrible place to work! Spent most of my time trying not to be in it.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello there, thats very interesting indeed! Its nice to hear from real people who worked within interesting places like the PAC. Thank you so much for commenting

[@billrand4138]

i spent six weeks on detachment in 88 i think installing the specialist power supplies in there

[@wesleymartin1554]

It's a Mk2 Transit, the Mk1 had round indicators.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hi Wesley, thank you :)

[@richardmarshall4322]

I spent 3 years at Laarbruch 87 to 90. Don't remamber this building. Where was it? Mk2 Transit. We had them in the MT section.

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello there, it was completed in 1988 but was built without much fanfare. its near the dentist and medical buildings

[@samson40a]

This was the PAC

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello Paul, Thanks for the information and for watching. Ill add this into the desctiption. Do you know anythin about bunker 13 that was in the woods near the Astra Cinema? looks like Photograph development and investigation.

[@samson40a]

@@ALWResearchTeam if it is the bunker behind station headquarters then I think that was for the SHQ staff. Never saw it during my time there.

[@ZedTee190]

Are you going to do a video on the secret NATO Pipeline and the even more secret tunnel systems that connected RAF Laarbruch to RAF Bruggen? The tunnel was first used in Able Archer 1983 and we all know what nearly happened!!

[@richardalfrey6366]

No I do t know what nearly happened....do tell

[@ZedTee190]

@@richardalfrey6366 Have a look for a video called 1983 Brink of Disaster. Pretty scary how close we came to WW3!

[@richardalfrey6366]

@@ZedTee190 I was at Bruggen then on Tonkas. .....

[@ZedTee190]

@@richardalfrey6366 1983? Bruggen was still equipped with four squadrons of Jags. In 1984 20 Sqn disbanded as a Jag sqn, and 9 Sqn Tornado took over in it's place

[@richardalfrey6366]

@@ZedTee190 84-87 Tonka ASF....accepting the jets and sending to bruggen sgdns

[@sidrat19]

Just watched this, some of the information is incorrect, it opened in the late 80s, I worked in there from the first day it opened. It was where all the aircraft avionic equipment was repaired. The ex RAF guy (rock ape) said he was on the top floor, there was one large open plan bay with a plant room underneath, the main work area was just the one floor,

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hello there. That’s great information. Thank You for commenting. Thanks for watching. Do you have any information on another bunker we found - a smaller one in the woods beyond Astra, looks like it was photograph development and analysis. Bunker 13.

[@sidrat19]

@@ALWResearchTeam Sorry I cannot recollect anything behind the cinema only the married quarters. In your text that accompanies the video you mention about the PAC being built for a secret weapon, it was built to house all the electrical and avionic bays, electrical, flight systems, comms, radar and ECM, your secret weapon (skyshadow).

[@didsnuggit]

Yes your correct it’s 40 years since I was there, the bunker I was in is located behind the mt section similar layout from the outside thank you for pointing it out Dave ex 26 sqn

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Thank You Sidrat19, thats really good, first hand information :)

[@DavidWhitley]

mk2 transit

[@ALWResearchTeam]

I have a new transit at the moment and I don’t know what mk that is either lol. Thanks for confirming this one

[@Zalentsia]

🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 you are telling the world what is military kids got into!! I got told these were all demolished!, I was always sneaking on and off bases dad was posted too 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 Latchkey kid between 1970 and 1986, left home just before 16 in Scotland and yep, I got on kinloss via the beach 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 I do hope they've fenced it off now it's army! The kids know the way through the culbin mine field today 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@Firemanclem]

NUCLEAR not NUCULAR

[@ALWResearchTeam]

Hi, where's abouts is the typo?