In Pics: NATO begins largest air drill in Germany in ‘show of strength’
The German-led "Air Defender 23" will include some 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries, including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance. It will run until June 23.
NATO began its largest-ever air force deployment exercise in Europe on June 12, in a display of unity toward partners and potential threats such as Russia. (Source: AFP)
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The German-led "Air Defender 23" will include some 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries, including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance. It will run until June 23. (Source: AFP)
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Up to 10,000 service members are to participate in the drills intended to boost interoperability and preparedness to protect against drones and cruise missiles in the case of an attack within NATO territory. (Source: AFP)
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"Air Defender" was conceived in 2018 in part as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine four years before, though Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz insisted it was "not targeted at anyone". (Source: AFP)
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The first flights began in the late morning at the Wunstorf, Jagel and Lechfeld air bases, a Luftwaffe spokesman confirmed to AFP. Hundreds of demonstrators had gathered at Wunstorf in northern Germany on June 10 against the drills, under the banner "Practice peace -- not war". Protesters called for a "diplomatic solution" to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire. (Source: AFP)
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US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann said the exercise would show "beyond a shadow of a doubt the agility and the swiftness of our allied force" and was intended to send a message to countries including Russia. (Source: AFP)
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The exercise includes operational and tactical-level training, primarily in Germany, but also in the Czech Republic, Estonia and Latvia, with a total of around 2,000 flights. (Source: AFP)
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General Michael Loh, director of the US Air National Guard, said NATO's duties were at an "inflection point". The exercise will focus on "supplementing the permanent United States presence in Europe" as well as providing training "on a larger scale than what was usually accomplished on the continent", Loh added. "It's about fostering the old relationships that we have but also building new ones with this younger generation of airmen," he said. (Source: AFP)
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Gutmann said that while there were no plans to make "Air Defender" a recurring exercise, she added: "We have no desire for this to be the last." Asked about potential disruption to civilian air transport during the exercise, Gerhartz said the planners would do "everything in our power" to limit flight delays or cancellations. (Source: AFP)
![The German-led "Air Defender 23" will include some 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance. It will run until June 23. (Source: AFP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2023/06/1-NATO-air-drill-air-defender-2023.jpg "The German-led "Air Defender 23" will include some 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance. It will run until June 23. (Source: AFP)")
!["Air Defender" was conceived in 2018 in part as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine four years before, though Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz insisted it was "not targeted at anyone". (Source: AFP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2023/06/7-NATO-air-drill-air-defender-2023.jpg ""Air Defender" was conceived in 2018 in part as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine four years before, though Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz insisted it was "not targeted at anyone". (Source: AFP)")
![The first flights began in the late morning at the Wunstorf, Jagel and Lechfeld air bases, a Luftwaffe spokesman confirmed to AFP. Hundreds of demonstrators had gathered at Wunstorf in northern Germany on June 10 against the drills, under the banner "Practice peace -- not war". Protesters called for a "diplomatic solution" to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire. (Source: AFP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2023/06/8-NATO-air-drill-air-defender-2023.jpg "The first flights began in the late morning at the Wunstorf, Jagel and Lechfeld air bases, a Luftwaffe spokesman confirmed to AFP. Hundreds of demonstrators had gathered at Wunstorf in northern Germany on June 10 against the drills, under the banner "Practice peace -- not war". Protesters called for a "diplomatic solution" to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire. (Source: AFP)")
![US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann said the exercise would show "beyond a shadow of a doubt the agility and the swiftness of our allied force" and was intended to send a message to countries including Russia. (Source: AFP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2023/06/6-NATO-air-drill-air-defender-2023.jpg "US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann said the exercise would show "beyond a shadow of a doubt the agility and the swiftness of our allied force" and was intended to send a message to countries including Russia. (Source: AFP)")
![General Michael Loh, director of the US Air National Guard, said NATO's duties were at an "inflection point". The exercise will focus on "supplementing the permanent United States presence in Europe" as well as providing training "on a larger scale than what was usually accomplished on the continent", Loh added. "It's about fostering the old relationships that we have but also building new ones with this younger generation of airmen," he said. (Source: AFP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2023/06/2-NATO-air-drill-air-defender-2023.jpg "General Michael Loh, director of the US Air National Guard, said NATO's duties were at an "inflection point". The exercise will focus on "supplementing the permanent United States presence in Europe" as well as providing training "on a larger scale than what was usually accomplished on the continent", Loh added. "It's about fostering the old relationships that we have but also building new ones with this younger generation of airmen," he said. (Source: AFP)")
![Gutmann said that while there were no plans to make "Air Defender" a recurring exercise, she added: "We have no desire for this to be the last." Asked about potential disruption to civilian air transport during the exercise, Gerhartz said the planners would do "everything in our power" to limit flight delays or cancellations. (Source: AFP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2023/06/5-NATO-air-drill-air-defender-2023.jpg "Gutmann said that while there were no plans to make "Air Defender" a recurring exercise, she added: "We have no desire for this to be the last." Asked about potential disruption to civilian air transport during the exercise, Gerhartz said the planners would do "everything in our power" to limit flight delays or cancellations. (Source: AFP)")