German fighter jets mark Indo-Pacific debut

A group of German air force fighter jets neared Singapore on Tuesday in a marathon bid to fly them some 12,800km from their home base to Southeast Asia in just 24 hours. The first deployment of jets to the region comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the US and its allies over Taiwan and demonstrates the ability for a European nation to move air power quickly to the region. The EU unveiled a new strategy in September for boosting economic, political and defence ties in the Indo-Pacific.
Germany has been looking to boost its presence in the Indo-Pacific and in 2021 dispatched a frigate to the region for the first time in almost 20 years. German defence minister Christine Lambrecht said despite the war in Ukraine being a priority, the Eurofighter mission underscores that Asia has not been forgotten. “We are at the side of all of those who stand for our values such as democracy, freedom and security”.