NATO to put up biggest air deployment exercise

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Organisation

Concept :

Germany is preparing to host the biggest air deployment exercise in NATO’s history, a show of force intended to impress allies and potential adversaries such as Russia.
The Air Defender 23 exercise starting next week will see 10,000 participants and 250 aircraft from 25 nations respond to a simulated attack on a NATO member country.
The United States alone is sending 2,000 U.S. Air National Guard personnel and about 100 aircraft to take part in the training maneuvers.
Germany’s military has warned the huge air force drill will have an impact on people using civil airlines in Europe.
While the exercise was planned for several years, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has jolted NATO into preparing in earnest for the possibility of an attack on its territory.
Sweden, which is hoping to join the alliance, and Japan are also taking part in the exercise.

About Air Defender 23 exercise

The exercise will be held across Germany, with some of the training taking place at Ramstein Air Base, which is one of NATO’s largest air bases. The exercise will focus on a variety of air defense and air interoperability topics, including:
- Airspace surveillance and control
- Air interdiction
- Air combat maneuvering
- Air refueling
- Command and control
- Logistics
The exercise is being held in response to the increased threat posed by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The exercise is designed to demonstrate NATO’s readiness to respond to any threat to its airspace.
Air Defender 2023 is a major undertaking, and it is a testament to the strength of the NATO alliance. The exercise will help to ensure that NATO is ready to defend its airspace and its citizens in the event of any threat.