Germany flying 6 fighters 8K miles in 24 hours to Singapore
A group of German air force fighter jets landed in Singapore on Tuesday as part of a marathon bid to fly them some 12,800 kilometers (8,000 miles) from their home base to Southeast Asia in just 24 hours.
The exercise comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the U.S. And its allies over Taiwan and demonstrates the ability for a European nation to move air power quickly to the region.
The European Union unveiled a new strategy in September for boosting economic, political and defense ties in the Indo-Pacific. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told reporters that despite the war in Ukraine being a priority at the moment, the Eurofighter mission underscores that Asia has not been forgotten
As part of a marathon attempt to fly them from their home base to Southeast Asia in under 24 hours, a group of German air force fighter jets landed in Singapore on Tuesday.
The drill, which shows how rapidly a European country can dispatch air force to the area, takes place at a time when tensions over Taiwan between China, the United States, and its allies are at an all-time high.
In September, the European Union revealed a new plan to strengthen defence, political, and commercial connections in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite the conflict in Ukraine currently taking precedence, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told reporters that the Eurofighter deployment shows that Asia has not been forgotten.
She reportedly said this as the plane took off from Neuburg, Germany, on Monday. “We are at the side of all of those who stand for our principles such as democracy, freedom, and security, and are also eager to help,” the dpa news agency said
Although Russia’s ruthless campaign of aggression is the reason for our current attention being on the eastern flank, we must also keep a watch on other areas. Improving maritime security and maintaining safe passage across sea lanes are key components of the EU’s new Asia-Pacific strategy, and several European nations have committed naval assets to the area this year for manoeuvres. The United States, Britain, and other nations have given the region more importance as China has become more forceful there.
For the first time in over two decades, Germany dispatched a warship to the Indo-Pacific when it sent the frigate Bayern on a roughly seven-month deployment that ended earlier this year. It participated in joint exercises with allies such as Australia, Singapore, Japan, and the US but was refused permission to dock in China.
Four transport planes and three tankers were present in the drill along with the six multirole Eurofighter jets. Along the lengthy voyage, they stopped for in-flight refuelling as well as for inspections and pilot rotations