Loud bang over Augsburg: Eurofighters break the sound barrier!

Loud bang over Augsburg: Eurofighters break the sound barrier!

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, a deafening bang filled the air above Augsburg. What was behind this loud noise continues to cause lively discussions among residents. Loud Augsburger Allgemeine The cause could have been an exercise by the Bundeswehr with Eurofighters, but it has not yet confirmed whether this was actually the case.

There was already a similar incident in the region on January 13, 2026, which could also be traced back to a Bundeswehr exercise. Six Eurofighters from Tactical Air Force Squadron 74 from Neuburg and an A400M from Air Force Squadron 62 from Wunstorf were involved in this current exercise. The air maneuvers took place between 2:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. in the temporary airspace TRA Allgäu, which also includes Augsburg.

Supersonic speed and its consequences

During the exercises, two of the Eurofighters accelerated to supersonic speeds, thereby producing the distinctive boom. The planes reached speeds of about 1,485 kilometers per hour, which brought them close to 1,200 km / h, the threshold of the sound barrier, as NAG Bavaria explained. This immense speed results in the formation of pressure waves known as shock waves, which can also be referred to as “double bangs,” and can be heard up to 40 kilometers from the source.

Such a noise occurs when aircraft break the sound barrier; this is not uncommon in Germany, especially in connection with military exercises. These training flights are often part of preparation for NATO maneuvers such as “Air Defender”. Similar to an incident on November 24, 2025, when two Eurofighters flew over Augsburg and caused similar noise, there is no denying that military flight operations have fueled local discussions about noise pollution.

A controversial topic

The military exercises that take place in the airspace over Augsburg not only have a strategic background, but are also linked to the concerns of local residents. Many citizens would like to see less noise pollution that is regularly caused by such exercises. Although the Bundeswehr assures that the flights take place within the applicable regulations and tries to keep the burden on local residents as low as possible, the question of the frequency of these supersonic flights over Augsburg remains uncertain.

In Germany there is a complicated system of noise protection and restriction areas for military exercises, which is intended to take into account the concerns of local residents. Available information about military aircraft movements can be accessed via the “ADS-B Exchange” flight database, which gives those interested a rough insight into the activities in the sky.

The technology of supersonic flight is not only important for the Bundeswehr, but also has an impact on the development of civil aircraft. Technologies such as NASA's "Low Boom" are intended to help reduce noise during supersonic flights, but this often remains controversial in civil aviation. Given the high operating costs and fuel consumption, the question remains: How often will the citizens of Augsburg have to deal with the noise of jet aircraft flying over them in the future?