2023-06-09 18:06:19
It is the greatest challenge for the German air forces in decades: after four years of preparation, the air maneuvers of the I’LL TAKEAir Defender 23. This is the largest exercise of its kind in the alliance’s history. From June 12 to 23, 2023, Germany will become the logistics hub. There will be up to 250 aircraft stationed at six military airfields in the country and 25 nations will participate.
The United States will send 100 planes across the Atlantic. In the air, a crisis situation will be trained in three zones: over northern Germany and the North Sea, in the east and in a smaller strip in southern Germany. Alternatively, these areas will be closed to civil air traffic for several hours a day.
Scheduled flight operations are part of the challenge: the skies of Europe, with Germany at the center, are among the most heavily used airspace in the world. Therefore, aviation experts are very attentive to ensure that civil air traffic can continue to operate, as far as possible, without disturbance, in parallel with the Air Defender 23.
German airports are going to extend their operating hours during the ten days of maneuvers, including at night. “So I hope that, if all these measures take effect, there will be no flight cancellations,” says the highest-ranking pilot of the German Air Force, Ingo Gerhartz, who does not rule out, however, that there may be delays in arrivals. and exits.
A deterrent sign
In any case, with the air defense exercise in the middle of regular flight operations, NATO also wants to send a “political signal of deterrence”, says Torben Arnold, of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), in an interview with DW. “Of course, it sends a clear signal that even though the airspace is extremely busy, we are prepared to show that we will defend every inch of NATO territory,” says Arnold.
The more than 10,000 participating soldiers, from NATO countries, will take part in the many planned exercises. Also on the ground. For example, “airfield evacuation” is part of the exercise routines, explains Ingo Gerhartz.
Apparently, this exercise was added to the maneuver plan after the chaotic days lived in kabul airportin 2021, when the United States and its allies rushed to end the mission in Afghanistan. Other scenarios include air support for ground troops, the fight in the skies against enemy planes, but also the interception of medium-range missiles by NATO fighter-bombers. To do this, US forces are sending over the Atlantic the F-35 stealth bomber, the most modern fighter of the alliance. On the North Sea, “defense against submarines or enemy ships” is also being tested, says Arnold, the SWP expert. And it is that the enemy “can attack us not only by land, but also by sea,” says Arnold.
Maneuvers during the Ukrainian counteroffensive
When thinking of an “enemy”, it is obvious that many people in Europe have in mind Russia and its big offensive against Ukraine, launched on February 24, 2022.
Yet when presenting the plans for the Air Defender 23 to the media in Berlin, German Air Force Inspector Ingo Gerhartz did his best not to mention the adversary from the East at any point. The US ambassador to Germany, Amy Gutmann, did broach the issue: “Prevention through preparation is more important today than ever,” she said.
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