Asia Pacific: With drills and fighter jets, German defense minister seeks stronger Indo-Pacific ties
Building on the monthslong dispatch of a frigate to the Indo-Pacific last year, Germany will on Wednesday deploy three fighter jets to Japan. But that is just the start, according to German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, with more military exchanges in the planning for next year and beyond as Berlin seeks a continuous and long-term security commitment to the region.
“Security concerns everyone, no country can afford to just watch from the sidelines,” Lambrecht said in an interview with The Japan Times, pointing to how the rules-based international order is increasingly being challenged in the Indo-Pacific.
“The military buildup in the region is picking up speed, geopolitical tensions are exacerbating territorial conflicts and the risk of escalation is increasing,” she said. “We are aware that Euro-Atlantic security and Indo-Pacific security are connected. That is why we want to help maintain peace and stability in this important region.”
Three German Air Force Eurofighter jets are set to arrive in Japan on Wednesday for three days of training exercises and other exchanges with the Air Self-Defense Force, according to the Defense Ministry in Tokyo.
Led by the chief of the German Air Force, the multirole fighters will be in the country until Friday to “improve tactical skills, promote mutual understanding, and further deepen cooperation” with the ASDF, according to the ministry.
The joint training is part of the German Air Force’s “Rapid Pacific 2022” operation, marking the service’s first-ever deployment to the Indo-Pacific. The move comes as Berlin looks to demonstrate operational readiness and show solidarity with its partners amid heightened tensions in the region, and follows guidelines adopted in September 2020 that emphasized enhanced ties with Asia-Pacific nations.
It also comes after the dispatch last year of a frigate on a monthslong tour of the region that saw the warship take part in several joint exercises, make a port call in Tokyo and help monitor United Nations’ sanctions against North Korea.
The air operation began on Aug. 15, when six Eurofighters, 200 personnel, four transport aircraft and three A330 MRTT aerial refuelers flew to Singapore within 24 hours in a move intended to prove that Germany’s air force can quickly deploy to the region.
The aircraft then flew to Australia to take part for the first time in the multinational Pitch Black and Kakadu exercise series, before returning to Singapore. Three of those aircraft are now on their way to Japan.
The frigate and Eurofighter dispatches mark the beginning of what are set to become more regular military deployments to the region, with Lambrecht saying that German Army troops will also participate in a multinational exercise in Australia next year. That will be followed by renewed deployments of maritime units the following year, which could also involve further monitoring of U.N. sanctions against North Korea.
(… read full article: japantimes.co.jp)
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