Host Nation Update, Aug. 20, 2025
U.S. Army combat helicopter – Apache circles Stuttgart Airport several times
Attentive observers and aviation enthusiasts may have noticed it last week: the U.S. Army’s AH-64 Apache combat helicopter. The helicopter took off several times from Stuttgart Army Airfield and landed there again. Among others, plane spotter Manuel Garthoff photographed the conspicuous helicopter.
The U.S. Army did not respond to our newspaper’s inquiry about the flights, whether they were “only” training exercises. As a rule, the Army does not disclose details about the missions and air movements of its aircraft or targets anyway. Nevertheless, the Apache is not seen too often around Stuttgart.
The helicopter is the most frequently used and widely deployed combat helicopter in the Western world. According to the aviation portal AeroTime, there are currently 1,225 Apache helicopters in service worldwide. Most of them (824) are owned by the U.S. Germany does not have any Apache helicopters. The Apache comes in five different variants and is manufactured by the aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
The Apache helicopter has been used in numerous conflicts and wars in the past, such as in Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo. It is equipped with powerful missiles that can even destroy tanks. With the help of sensors and cameras, the helicopter can record important information from the battlefield. It is also used in war zones to escort aircraft. (SN, Michael Bosch August 19, 2025)
Opening of the 49th Stuttgart Wine Village (Weindorf)
The Wine Village in Stuttgart city center begins on Thursday, August 21, at 11:30 a.m. and ends on Saturday, September 6, at midnight. It is open from Sunday to Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and from Thursday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.
On Thursday, At 7 p.m., Stuttgart’s mayor Frank Nopper and Interior Minister Thomas Strobl will take the stage at the Old Palace to spread some good cheer.
One obvious change is definitely the introduction of uniform deposit tokens (jetons). This means that glasses can be returned anywhere. A good 100,000 tokens will replace the previously different deposit chips used by the individual wine stands. Tokens? Exactly! The casino will sponsor the wine village for two years, with the wine village logo on one side of the tokens and the casino logo on the other. Each booth owner determines individually what they offer and their prices. At first glance, the cheapest quarter liter was usually available for 5 euros. At the municipal winery one can only pay with the card because the city treasury doesn’t want to count cash. At other booths you pay cash; trust the motto: “only cash is king!” (SN, Aug 19)
Stuttgart Wine Village kicks off – will the rain arrive just in time for the opening?
Stroll through the market square and Schillerplatz, eat delicious Maultaschen and drink Viertele – you can do all this at the Stuttgart Wine Village, which starts this week. But will the weather allow for strolling and outdoor celebrations? The German Weather Service (DWD) provides information. The Wine Village begins this Thursday. “It will be rainy, at least in the morning. Initially, we will still be under the influence of a low-pressure system over northern Italy, so the morning hours will be quite wet,” explains meteorologist Peter Crouse. “But it will gradually improve, and the rain should stop in the afternoon,” he says. Maximum temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius are expected.
“On Friday and over the weekend, we will have more high pressure,” explains the DWD expert. During the day, plenty of sunshine with scattered cumulus clouds is expected. “However, it will be a little cooler. The maximum temperatures will be around 20 degrees,” says Crouse. So, when the 32 gazebos open punctually at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, it could very well be rainy. However, it should be sunnier by the time the official opening ceremony of the 49th Wine Village takes place at 7 p.m. in the courtyard of the Old Castle. (SN, Aug 20)
A81 expansion near Sindelfingen – a test of patience for motorists until Summer 2026
A81 construction site of Sindelfingen East: new bridges and lanes are being built. And there is one spot where traffic is likely to remain congested for months to come. The ramp toward Stuttgart at the Böblingen-Ost junction is currently quite narrow. The merge lane onto the A81 Autobahn is short, resulting in traffic jams and slow-moving traffic. This is a test of patience for motorists, and one that will not be over anytime soon. Traffic management at this location is expected to remain as it is until next summer. “Unfortunately, it will remain stressful for about another nine months,” says Johannes Kuhn, project manager at Deges, which is responsible for the expansion of the A81 between Böblingen and Sindelfingen. “This is the period of greatest restrictions.” Kuhn is aware of the tense traffic situation at Böblingen-Ost. But he also says: “The ramp cannot be extended because that would mean starting the transition to the old lane,” he explains. Shortly after the ramp, the new concrete lane on the Böblingen side ends and connects to the old lane on the Sindelfingen side. This creates space for the further expansion of the new roadway toward Stuttgart, which will be the focus of work in eastern Sindelfingen in the coming months.
The reason why the new road currently ends shortly after the entrance ramp is not least due to the two bridges 300 meters further east, where the highway crosses Sindelfingen’s Mahdentalstraße. Or rather, used to cross. While the new bridge is being built, the new roadway is also being extended to just before the Stuttgart interchange. This is where the eastern end of the motorway construction site is located. The new roadway will also be made of concrete, as will eventually the entire motorway between Böblingen and Sindelfingen. Kuhn explains that the material is more resistant and therefore more durable than asphalt. According to Kuhn, the new lane toward Stuttgart between the Sindelfingen-Ost junction and the Stuttgart interchange is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. The closed ramp toward Stuttgart at the Sindelfingen-Ost junction will then reopen. Both measures should significantly ease traffic congestion.
Expansion of the A 81: Deges is planning and coordinating the expansion of the A 81 from four to six lanes in this area. Schedule: Since 2021, the A81 Autobahn between Sindelfingen-Ost and Böblingen-Hulb has been widened from two to three lanes. Construction work is expected to be completed in 2028 and cost around 490 million Euros. (Kreiszeitung BB Aug 19)