In the mid of the 1980`s the East German Air Force made first steps towards the procurement of the MiG-29 (NATO-Code "Fulcrum") fighter aircraft. The NVA (Nationale Volksarmee) used their 24 few MiG-29 in defense counter air role, althouge she was intended for a second air-to-ground role as well.

The JG3 "Vladimir Kamov" (Fighter Wing 3) at Preschen airbase was the first wing in East Germany that equipped the 1st and 2nd squadron with the new fighter. The first aircraft "615" were delivered in May 1988, the last one "778" in January 1989.

At the German reunification on October 3, 1990, the NVA seized to exist. All MiG-29 aircrafts given GAF-registrations and were integrated into LUFTWAFFE.

Four MiG`s went to the WTD 61 (Test and Evaluation Center 61) in Manching. One Fulcrum went to the US-Air Force for evaluation and remained for 1½  years. The German DoD (Department of Defense) planned on keeping the MiG-29 in service until the evaluation results stated specific numbers about the aircraft’s performance, its reliability and its running costs. The MiG-29 was the only former Sovjet aircraft that remained in service with the GAF on a regular basis. All other aircraft types (Mig-21, MiG-23, Su-22, Mi-24,…) were test flown for a certain period and than phased out of service.

In 1991 the JG3 "Vladimir Kamov" (Fighter Wing 3) at Preschen airbase was renamed "Erprobungsgeschwader MiG-29" (Test and Evaluation Wing MiG-29). On June 1st, 1993, it was redesignated in "Jagdgeschwader 73" (Fighter Wing 73) and moved to Rostock-Laage airbase in October 1994. It led to the conclusion that the MiG-29 should remain in service for another years, if the maintainability and the support with spare parts from Russia could be assured.

The MiG-29 was the only former Soviet aircraft that remained in service with the German Air Force on a regular basis. Today it can be said that the MiG-29 pilots of "Jagdgeschwader 73" are the best MiG pilots in the world, as the agility of the aircraft, Western training standards and the knowledge of “AMRAAM” tactics add up to make them a formidable opponent.

The successor of the "Red Diva" in Luftwaffe is the Eurofighter Typhoon, which was enter its service in 2003. The Polish Air Force has bought 22 German Fulcrums for 1 symbolic Euro. In August 2004 the German Air Force handed over its last Fulcrums to Poland.