Berlin, 14 April 2023 (TDI): The German Air Force is set to host the largest multinational air operations exercise (Air Defender 23) in NATO’s history, with over 10,000 service members from 24-nations participating in the event from 12-23 June 2023.
The participating countries include Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the US.
About Air Defender 23 exercise
For the information, the Air Defender 23 exercise will take place across various locations in Germany, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, and will feature 220 aircraft from the participating nations, including 100 aircraft from the United States (US) Air National Guard.
To mention, this exercise will focus on training joint airborne response capabilities to crises, with the goal of enhancing cooperation among NATO forces and showcasing the strength of the alliance.
Moreover, the participating nations will also train air operations in European airspace under the command of the German Air Force.
Thus, Air Defender 23 will serve as a challenging exercise scenario with air warfare operations for friendly and allied air forces. Germany will play a significant role as a collective defense hub within Europe during the exercise.
Notably, this air exercise comes after four years of planning, and it is the largest live flying exercise of the Bundeswehr in over 40 years. The exercise area will mainly be located at the airfields of:
- Jagel/Hohn in Schleswig-Holstein
- Laage in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Wunstorf in Lower Saxony
- Lechfeld in Bavaria
- Spangdahlem in Rhineland-Palatinate
- Volkel in the Netherlands
- Čáslav in the Czech Republic
So, the three main locations during Air Defender 2023 are the airfields Schleswig/Hohn, Wunstorf and Lechfeld in Germany. There will be three main flight areas above Germany.
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During the exercise, the participating nations will train with 23 different aircraft types, including various jets, transport aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft. This will be the first time an A400M carrier aircraft has obtained a special design, showcasing the importance of the exercise.
Due to the high number of aircraft involved, there will be increased aircraft noise in parts of Germany during the exercise. However, the German Air Force assures the public that every effort will be made to minimize the impact on surrounding communities.
In a nutshell, the Air Defender 23 exercise is a significant demonstration of transatlantic solidarity and NATO’s commitment to collective defense.
It will provide an opportunity for participating nations to train together, enhance their joint response capabilities, and showcase their commitment to maintaining peace and security in Europe.
