Abfang

Abfang is a German noun meaning interception or the act of intercepting. It is derived from the verb abfangen, “to intercept” or “to catch,” with the noun form used in technical and sport contexts to denote the act of intercepting something in transit.

In aviation and air defense, Abfang refers to the interception of a penetrating or threatening aircraft. The action is typically carried out by a dedicated interceptor aircraft, known in German as an Abfangjäger. The concept also appears in planning and radar identification procedures, where authorities may issue orders to initiate an Abfang.

In sports, Abfangen describes the defensive act of intercepting a ball or pass to regain possession. It is common in team sports such as soccer and ice hockey. In these contexts, players or teams aim to abfangen a pass or make an Abfang to disrupt the opponent’s play.

In broader usage, Abfang can appear in discussions of communications and signal handling to indicate the interception or capture of a transmitted signal, though more specialized terms are often used in engineering manuals.