NATO’s Biggest Air Force Drill Ever
German and US Officials have stated that starting the week of June 12th, NATO will begin the largest air force deployment exercise in Europe in the alliance’s history, according to Al Arabiya News. Taking place over a 10 day period, the exercise will include some 220 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries.
When talking about the exercise, coined “Air Defender 23”, US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann, said that it is intended to be a show of strength, and send a message to countries, including Russia.“I would be pretty surprised if any world leader was not taking note of what this shows in terms of the spirit of this alliance, which means the strength of this alliance, and that includes Mr Putin,” Gutmann told reporters.
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The exercise will span multiple countries with operational and tactical-level training taking place in Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Latvia.
General Ingo Gerhartz of the German Luftwaffe said “Air Defender” was conceived in 2018 in part as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, although he stressed it was “not targeted at anyone….we are a defensive alliance and that is how this exercise is planned,” he said.
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General Michael Loh, director of the US Air National Guard, said NATO’s duties were at an “inflection point” where “A great deal has changed on the strategic landscape throughout the world, especially here in Europe.” Loh went on to say that “This exercise focuses on supplementing the permanent United States presence in Europe.”
Gutmann concluded by saying that there are no plans to make “Air Defender” a recurring exercise, but she also: “We have no desire for this to be the last.”
