NATO begins its biggest Air military exercises coordinated by Germany And intend to show solidarity in the face of potential threats, especially from Russia.
“Our message is we can defendlieutenant general said Ingo GerhardsLuftwaffe.
The “Air Defender 23” exercise will run until June 23 and will include 250 aircraft from 25 NATO countries (NATO) and allies such as Japan and Sweden, which are candidates for joining the alliance.
Nearly 10,000 people will participate in the exercise Enhancing Interoperability and Readiness Against Drones and Missiles Cruising when a city, airport or port in NATO territory is under attack.
“We’re a defensive coalition, and that’s the plan for this exercise,” the lieutenant general said.
Air Defense Defender was conceived in 2018, in part in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.but Gerhartz insisted that they were not “against anyone.”.
practise will not “for example send a flight in the direction of Kaliningrad”a Russian enclave that borders Poland and Lithuania and is a member of a military alliance.
“I’d be surprised if world leaders didn’t pay attention to what this shows in the spirit of the Union, The power of this coalition, including Mr. Putin,’ he told reporters, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The first flights take off from the air force base Wunstorf, Jagel y Lechfelda Luftwaffe spokesman told AFP.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Wunstorf in the north on Saturday Germanyagainst practice. “Practice peace, not war”One of the signs said.
Amy Gutman, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, said, The exercise will “unquestionably demonstrate the agility and speed of our allied forces”which sends messages to other countries, such as Russia.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine starting in February 2022, Inspired the military alliance formed nearly 75 years ago As a front line against the Soviet Union.
Finland and Swedentraditionally neutral to avoid conflict with Moscow, request to join NATO After the Russian invasion.
NATO Article 5 states that attacks on alliance members it is considered an attack on all its members.
exercises include training at the operational and tactical levelsmainly in Germany, as well as the Czech Republic, Estonia and Latvia, with about 2,000 flights.
German Chancellor Olaf Schulz will visit the pilot on Friday At Schleswig-Jagel Airport in northern Germany.
“By synchronizing, we multiply our power,” he said.
General Michael Loh, commander of the U.S. Air National Guard, commented NATO mission is at ‘tipping point’.
The focus of the exercise is “to complete the permanent U.S. presence in Europe,” and in addition Provide “larger scale training What used to be done on the mainland,” Loh added.
He said many Union pilots They will cooperate for the first time.
Ambassador Gutman pointed out There are no plans to make Skyguard a regular exercisethough he clarified that “we don’t want this to be the last”.
But the German authorities admit that, Some flight schedules may be affected Through maneuvers, especially at Frankfurt or Berlin-Brandenburg airports.
Ovie