BANGKOK (AP) — A group of German air force fighter jets approached Singapore on Tuesday in a marathon attempt to fly some 22,000 kilometers (13,700 miles) from their base to Southeast Asia in just 24 hours.
The exercise comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the US and its allies over Taiwan and demonstrates the ability of a European nation to move air power quickly into the region.
The European Union unveiled a new strategy in September to boost economic, political and defense ties in the Indo-Pacific. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told reporters that although the war in Ukraine is a priority at the moment, the Eurofighter mission underscores that Asia has not been forgotten.
“We are on the side of all those who defend our values such as democracy, freedom and security, and are also willing to contribute,” he told the dpa news agency as the plane took off from Neuburg, Germany, on Monday. informed.
“Our focus right now is naturally on the eastern flank, so Russia’s brutal war of aggression is to blame, but we have to watch other regions as well.”
Part of the EU’s new Asia-Pacific strategy focuses on improving maritime security and ensuring safe passage through sea lanes, and several European nations have sent naval assets to the region for exercises this year.
As China has become more assertive in the region, the United States, Britain and others have also increasingly made it a priority.
Germany sent the Bayern frigate to the region on a nearly seven-month deployment that ended earlier this year, the first time a German warship had been in the Indo-Pacific in nearly two decades. She participated in joint exercises with allies including Australia, Singapore, Japan and the United States, and was denied a port call in China.
The six Eurofighter multirole aircraft involved in the current exercise were accompanied by four transport aircraft and three tankers. They were refueled in the air throughout the long flight, and also made stops along the way to refuel, inspect, and rotate pilots.
During a stopover at a base near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, Germany’s air force, the Luftwaffe, said two of the Eurofighters were found to have technical problems. One was repaired on site, but the other had a defect in its hydraulic system, so it was retained.
The Luftwaffe said personnel had been sent from Germany to repair it further so it would be available for upcoming exercises in Australia, where all planes are headed after Singapore.
The so-called Pitch Black exercise brings together some 2,500 people and 100 aircraft from around the world for three weeks in Australia’s Northern Territory.
In addition to Germany, France, Britain and the Netherlands, European NATO members, are participating, along with the United States, New Zealand, Korea, the United Arab Emirates, India, Japan, Thailand and others.
The exercise is designed to test and improve the integration of multinational forces and “recognize Australia’s strong relationships and the high value we place on regional security and fostering closer ties across the Indo-Pacific region,” he said. the Royal Australian Air Force.
After August 19 to September 19. 8 in Australia, German planes will stop in Japan and South Korea on their way home.
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