Large-scale exercise "Air Defender": Air Force maneuvers could lead to civilian flight cancellations

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A Eurofighter over Estonia: XXL manoeuvres with consequences for civil aviation?

Photo: Christophe Gateau / dpa

Before the Air Force exercise "Air Defender 23", the air traffic control union (GdF) contradicted the assessment of the Bundeswehr, according to which no flight cancellations are to be expected. It was inexplicable how Air Force Inspector Ingo Gerhartz came to this claim, the union said. "The Air Defender military exercise will of course have a massive impact on the course of civil aviation," said GdF boss Matthias Maas.

In fact, simulations by German air traffic control (DFS) have shown that total delays of up to 50,000 minutes must be expected daily for the duration of the large-scale exercise, in the best case.

In addition, it is expected that up to 100 civilian flights a day will not reach their destination for the night closure of various airports in Germany. As a result, it is very likely that these machines would not be available at the planned location on time the following day.

The exercise is scheduled to take place from June 12 to 23. Air traffic control expects delays in civil aviation due to manoeuvres. The state-owned company clarified that the simulations cited by the GdF did not come from it, but from the European network manager at the organization Eurocontrol. In the latest simulation, the number of misstationed aircraft in the evening had also fallen to zero, a spokesman said. The possible delays of up to 50,000 minutes would correspond to a day with violent thunderstorms and would be "clearly in the red".

The GdF, which represents a large number of controllers and technicians at DFS, made it clear that it considered the manoeuvre to be necessary in view of the political situation and that it would be of great value to NATO in terms of knowledge. However, they want to prevent air traffic control employees from being held responsible for negative effects.

The exercise has been planned since 2018. According to the Air Force, 25 nations are involved. There are about 240 aircraft, of which about 100 are from the US side. According to the Bundeswehr, this is the largest military deployment exercise since NATO was founded. The bulk of the approximately 200 flights a day will take place over the North Sea and Baltic Sea, Gerhartz had announced.

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