Over 2,000 warplane sorties will take place during the Alliance’s massive military exercise.
Nearly 250 aircraft, including B-1 strategic bombers, F-35 fifth-generation fighters and long-range drones, will be sent to the largest air exercise in NATO history by 25 countries of the Alliance and their allies.
How informs The Wall Street Journal, Air Defender 23 exercises will continue from June 12 to 23, including near Russian borders in the Baltic and Black Sea.
According to the legend of the exercises, the enemy captures the German port of Rostock (here the pipeline begins, through which oil brought by sea is pumped), and NATO forces, in accordance with Article 5 of the Charter of the Alliance, become the collective defense of Germany.
The exercise will simulate an attack on European targets by Russian missiles and drones, which will be intercepted by fighter jets. Combat aircraft will actively use the airspace on the eastern flank of NATO – in Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania.
In total, more than 10,000 military personnel will take part in the exercises, more than 2,000 sorties will be made.
“It’s about sending a strong signal: if the worst comes, we can defend ourselves,” said Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, commander of the German Air Force. He did not say to whom the signal was being sent, but the newspaper Bild, which quoted him, wrote that it was understandable – to Russia and President Vladimir Putin.
The skills learned during the exercise will be useful for the deployment and interaction of Air Force forces not only in Europe, but also in Asia, in particular, to protect Japan and South Korea, Lieutenant General Michael Loch, commander of the US Air National Guard, told WSJ. Japan is also participating in Air Defender 23.
Recall that NATO member states can send troops to Ukraine. Such a decision can be made if Ukraine does not receive guarantees of membership and security guarantees.
Read also:
2023-06-08 15:36:30
#NATO #send #bombers #fighters #borders #Russia #happening
