What wind tunnel facilities and locations does DNW offer?

Updated

DNW (German-Dutch Wind Tunnels) operates wind tunnel facilities across four locations in the Netherlands and Germany, covering subsonic, transonic, and supersonic test regimes. If you need to match a specific aerodynamic test condition — low-speed, transonic, or supersonic — to a facility, the location-to-tunnel mapping below is the starting point.

Locations and tunnels

Location Country Tunnels
Amsterdam Netherlands HST, SST
Braunschweig Germany NWB
Göttingen Germany TWG
Marknesse Netherlands LLF, LST

DNW's own site describes the organization as operating six wind tunnels spanning subsonic, transonic, and supersonic facilities. Note that some DNW pages reference "eleven wind tunnels" in the broader organization description, while the current facility listing on the homepage names six tunnels across the four sites above — the six-tunnel list is the one tied to specific locations.

What each site is set up for

  • Amsterdam (HST, SST) — the HST (High Speed Tunnel) and SST (Supersonic Tunnel) names indicate the high-speed end of the range, relevant if your test conditions fall in the transonic-to-supersonic band.
  • Braunschweig (NWB) — a German site hosting the NWB tunnel.
  • Göttingen (TWG) — a German site hosting the TWG tunnel.
  • Marknesse (LLF, LST) — the Dutch headquarters location, hosting the LLF (Large Low-speed Facility) and LST. The LLF is the tunnel referenced in DNW's recent helicopter rotor test, which points to its use for large-scale, low-speed experimental campaigns.

How to choose a facility

Match your requirement to the site rather than picking a location first:

  1. Define your speed regime. Subsonic/low-speed work points toward Marknesse (LLF, LST); transonic and supersonic work points toward Amsterdam (HST, SST).
  2. Check the test type. DNW lists its capability areas as simulation, noise, propulsion integration, and in-ground effect — confirm your test falls within one of these.
  3. Confirm the specific tunnel. Because each site hosts a named tunnel (or two), verify the tunnel itself meets your model size, speed, and instrumentation needs before committing to a location.
  4. Contact DNW directly. The site provides a "get in touch" route and a facility map; access arrangements and scheduling are handled through DNW rather than published online.

Background worth knowing

DNW was established by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), and operates as a non-profit foundation under Dutch law with headquarters in Marknesse, Netherlands. It marked 50 years of operation in June 2026, and its work spans aerospace, automotive, and sports applications. Recent activity includes an experimental campaign on a helicopter rotor system with active blade twisting at the DNW-LLF.

If your test needs a specific Mach range or model scale, start from the speed regime, then confirm the named tunnel at that site with DNW before planning around a location.