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Airbus A400M with special wrap for the "Air Defender 2023" exercise
Photo: Philipp Hiemer / dpa
In less than two weeks, the largest NATO air exercise since the alliance was founded will take place over Germany. The inspector of the German Air Force has now emphasized their importance for the security of the people in the NATO area: "This is what credible deterrence looks like to me," Ingo Gerhartz told Berlin's Tagesspiegel. The inspector also appealed for understanding for possible restrictions on civil air traffic.
The exercise, called "Air Defender 2023" under German leadership, is scheduled for June 12 to 23. Around 90 percent of air traffic is expected to take place in Germany and the adjacent coastal areas of the North Sea and Baltic Sea.
The exercise should show that the alliance "can act quickly in an emergency," said the lieutenant general. Of the approximately 250 aircraft involved, about 100 come from the USA: "They will be operational over Europe within hours. This strengthens our transatlantic connection in the event of a crisis."
"Sporadic" air movements near Russia
"Only sporadically" air movements would take place near the border with Russia, but only "defensive scenarios" would take place, Gerhartz continued. It would certainly be a provocation if we were to simulate how we fly missions in the direction of Kaliningrad, for example. But we don't," he assured. Instead, the exercise is limited "to the protection of NATO territory."
Gerhartz emphasized that the Air Force is "in close coordination with German air traffic control, the Ministry of Transport and Eurocontrol in order to keep the impact as low as possible."
At the same time, in the opinion of the Air Force inspector, the consequences would have to be accepted in one's own security interest. "The aim of the exercise is to ensure that people can continue to fly on holiday in peace and freedom," he said.
col/AFP