Germany is hosting NATO’s largest air exercise over Europe next week, with 250 aircraft from member countries simulating the alliance’s response to an attack on Europe. The exercise could disrupt civil flight schedules and cause additional noise.
Germany is preparing to host the largest airborne exercise in NATO history, a show of force intended to impress allies and potential adversaries like Russia, German and American officials said on Wednesday.
Exercise Air Defender 23, which begins next week, will see 10,000 participants and 250 aircraft from 25 nations respond to a simulated attack on a NATO member country. The United States alone is sending 2,000 US Air National Guard troops and about 100 aircraft to participate in the June 12-23 training maneuvers.
“It will undoubtedly demonstrate the agility and speed of our allied forces in NATO as first responders,” said US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmannshe.
“I would be quite surprised if any leader didn’t take note of what this shows in terms of the spirit of this alliance, the strength of this alliance.”
“And that includes Mr. Putin,” she added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The German military has warned that the large-scale air force exercise will impact people using civil airlines in Europe.
Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz of the German Air Force said: “I know that there could be restrictions on civil air traffic. When it comes to aircraft noise, we naturally have a higher intensity where we fly.”
While the exercise had been planned for several years, the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted NATO to prepare seriously for the possibility of an attack on its territory. Sweden, which hopes to join the alliance, and Japan are also taking part in the exercise.
“We are showing that NATO territory is our red line and that we are ready to defend every inch of that territory,” said Lieutenant General Gerhartz.
“But we will not operate flights to Kaliningrad, for example. So that’s defensive thinking.”
Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea between Poland and Lithuania.
Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, director of the US Air National Guard, said the exercise goes beyond deterrence.
“It’s about the operational readiness of our armed forces. It’s about coordination, not just within NATO, but with our other allies and partners outside of NATO,” he said.
Loh said the exercise is an opportunity for younger US airmen, many of whom have gained primarily Middle East experience, to build relationships with allies in Europe and prepare for a different military scenario.
“So this is about finding out what it means to go up against a great power in a great power competition,” he said.