defense
Chancellor Scholz during the Luftwaffe maneuver “Air Defender”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the cockpit of a Eurofighter at Jagel Air Base. photo
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
A chancellor in the cockpit of a fighter jet – that hasn’t happened in decades, maybe even never. Olaf Scholz, who once refused military service, has no fear of contact.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) praised the “Air Defender” maneuver as an important sign of the unity and defensive readiness of NATO and its allies.
It is about “the statement being taken seriously by everyone, that we are ready to defend every centimeter of our territory,” said Scholz when visiting the Jagel air base in Schleswig-Holstein, from where fighter jets of the Bundeswehr and other armed forces arrive take part in the largest air force exercise in NATO history. A total of 25 countries with around 10,000 soldiers and 250 aircraft are involved in the exercise.
As a sign of solidarity with the soldiers, Scholz climbed into the cockpit of a Eurofighter and was shown how the Bundeswehr’s currently most modern fighter jet is controlled. A chancellor in a fighter jet – a spokesman for the Air Force assured that this has not happened for at least 30 years – maybe even never.
Scholz on the cheetah, in front of the leopard and in the dinghy
The chancellor has repeatedly shown that he has no qualms about heavy military equipment. During a visit to the troops at the Putlos training ground in Schleswig-Holstein last August, the 65-year-old, who 40 years ago refused military service and did civilian service in a nursing home, climbed onto a Cheetah anti-aircraft tank. A year ago in Lithuania, where the Bundeswehr is strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, he had Leopard 2 tanks and the Panzerhaubitze 2000, the Bundeswehr’s heaviest artillery piece, presented to him.
Just two weeks ago, the chancellor flew from Rostock in a helicopter to the warship “Mecklenburg-Vorpommern” to watch a naval exercise off the Baltic Sea coast. He was then taken to a minesweeper in a rubber dinghy to have the protection of critical infrastructure explained to him. There, too, he emphasized the importance of such maneuvers as a signal of strength – also in the direction of Russia. Parallel to “Air Defender”, the US maneuver “Baltops” in the Baltic Sea ran in the past two weeks until Friday – also with the participation of numerous NATO countries.
Scholz: cooperation in the alliance “great message”
Showing the cooperation within the alliance is a “great message,” said Scholz in Jagel, referring to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. “The willingness to cooperate closely here is very high.” The exercise also has the practical benefit of recognizing opportunities for improvement in cooperation.
Scholz also looked at the fighter jets of other countries on the airfield of the air force base, including an F-16 that Ukraine would like to have to defend itself against Russia. The federal government is currently examining whether it can and wants to participate in the training of Ukrainian pilots for Western-style fighter jets.
During the exercise, several jets started maneuvers, part of which is the so-called “reinsurance” of the NATO partners in the east. According to an Air Force spokesman, fighter jets have been flying to Lithuania, which borders Russia, and Romania, which borders Ukraine, since the exercise began on Monday.
Little impact on civil aviation
The largest part of the exercise takes place in German airspace. Impairments to civil air traffic have so far been very limited. The German air traffic control announced that the delays caused by “Air Defender” were around 22,000 minutes a day this week. That is less than on summer days with thunderstorms, when delays in German airspace totaled up to 50,000 minutes. The European air traffic control organization Eurocontrol had expected daily delays of around 55,000 minutes in a forecast for “Air Defender”.
Scholz was relieved about that. “I am very grateful for the great understanding of everyone involved that this is possible here and nobody really complained seriously.” Next week, the soldiers in Jagel will receive another prominent visit. Then Defense Minister Boris Pistorius looks at the exercise together with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.