This is an exceptionally large-scale military air exercise, unprecedented in the history of NATO: 25 countries of the Alliance and their partners are today launching the “Air Defender 23” operation in Germany.
This large-scale defensive training, which simulates an attack against one of the member countries of NATO, will last about ten days. The idea was born in 2018, partly in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea 4 years earlier.
>> “Operation Air Defender 2023”: what will the largest air exercise ever organized by NATO look like?
With the war in Ukraine, it is difficult not to see it as a show of force against a country that has claimed its air superiority. The head of the German air force may say that the operation does not aim “person“In particular, the message of deterrence addressed to Vladimir Putin is crystal clear: not a single square centimeter of Alliance territory can be threatened.
The scenario provides simulations of bombardments of cities or ports, troop movements, operational and tactical formations. The Bundeswehr, the German army, is in command.
10,000 men, 250 aircraft
In total, 10,000 people are mobilized, almost 250 planes. It is also for the various armies of NATO to test their ability to communicate and work together (what is called interoperability). The 25 mobilized armies engage 23 different models of combat aircraft.
All this little world will evolve in German airspace, but also Czech, Latvian and Estonian. This will not be without consequences for civil traffic: the airports of Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich have been authorized to extend their opening hours, but according to the air traffic controllers’ union, there will still be cancellations and delays while school holidays begin in parts of Germany.
The central role of the United States
The US Army alone sent around a hundred aircraft, half of the committed contingent. Its objective is to test its responsiveness to crossing the Atlantic in the event of a major crisis in Europe.
Here again the message is clear: the United States is indeed back in Europe as the continent’s main guarantee of security and it will continue to be so (provided that – this is to be read between the lines – that the 27 show a little more solidarity and put a little more hand in the pocket to feed the NATO budget).
According to US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann, “Air Defender 23” will not be a regular exercise. While specifying:We don’t want this to be the last“.
Further air deployment exercises are planned for the coming months. At the end of June, in particular, France will test its very long-range projection capability as part of Operation Pegasus: ten Rafale, five refueling aircraft and four A 400 M transport aircraft will have to reach Malaysia 48 hours before to participate in a large-scale global exercise from the island of Guam.