Parachutists descend with flair into Lake Constance, making a thrilling splash.
Annual Paratrooper Exercise in Langenargen Highlights Debut of New Model EPC
Over the weekend, Langenargen, Germany, played host to an annual paratrooper exercise involving over 300 troops from various German associations. The event, which saw the Airbus A400M transporting fewer than 160 jumpers, also marked the debut of the German Armed Forces' new model, the EPC.
Despite extensive online searches, specific details about the EPC model and its differences compared to the previous T10 model remained elusive. However, the exercise provided some insights.
Oberfähnrich Patrick Capelle, from the 1st Air Landing Brigade in Saarlouis, moderated the training flights for spectators on Sunday. He emphasised that the properties of the new model require jumpers to adapt.
The paratrooper jumps into Lake Constance were simulated as part of the exercise. Due to poor visibility on Saturday, no jumps occurred. However, on Sunday, ten jumpers exited from the side door of the Airbus A400M in each overflight, totaling 200 jumps per day over the weekend.
Upon arrival in the water, the paratroopers were picked up by waiting inflatable boats and brought back to the shore. Initially, landings on the festival grounds in Langenargen were planned for Saturday, but these were postponed due to weather conditions.
The Airbus A400M was stationed at Friedrichshafen Airport during the weekend. Each exercise unit in the fuselage of the aircraft held 40 jumpers. The transport aircraft circled over the Schussental on Saturday before practising the "hot load" scenario before the last training round on Sunday evening.
The parachutes had to be stowed away professionally after each jump. The deployment forces opened the loading hatch at the rear directly after landing with running rotors, and the jumpers boarded and the machine took off again as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of detailed information available, we cannot provide direct, sourced information about the EPC model or how it differs from the T10 without further data. If more context or sources become available, we can help analyze those.
On a lighter note, the Langenargener Uferfest took place in early August 2025, featuring activities such as paratrooper drops into Lake Constance. However, no technical details on paratrooper equipment or models like EPC or T10 were given. The other results focused on unrelated weather events and local activities.
In conclusion, the annual paratrooper exercise in Langenargen offered a unique opportunity to witness the debut of the new EPC model. Despite the lack of specific details about the model, the event showcased the adaptability and professionalism of the paratroopers involved.
The annual exercise in Langenargen highlighted not only the debut of the new EPC model in the German Armed Forces, but also the role of the Airbus A400M in the sports industry, given its duties in transporting paratroopers.
The exercise also raised questions about the financial aspect, as the EPC model, with its adaptive properties, might require investments to train jumpers to utilize it effectively.
Lastly, the event underscored the interconnection between the sports and transportation sectors, with the latter playing a crucial role in facilitating high-stakes sports events such as this paratrooper exercise.
