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| German Fighter Aircraft Take a 24 Hour Marathon Flight to Singapore |
International Military - A group of German air force fighter jets will arrive in Singapore after a marathon attempt to fly them some 12,800 km from their base to Southeast Asia in just 24 hours.
The jet's scheduled arrival on Tuesday demonstrates the European nation's ability to rapidly move air power into the region and comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the United States and its allies over Taiwan.
The European Union unveiled a new strategy in September to improve economic, political and defense ties in the Indo-Pacific region. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told reporters that although the war in Ukraine is a priority at the moment, Germany's Eurofighter mission underscores that Asia is not forgotten.
"We are on the side of all those who uphold our values such as democracy, freedom and security, and are also willing to contribute," he said as a German air force plane took off from Neuburg, Germany, on Monday, the dpa news agency reported. .
Part of the EU's new strategy for Asia Pacific is focused on enhancing maritime security and ensuring safe passage by sea, and several European countries have sent naval assets to the region for maneuvers this year. As China has grown stronger in the region, the US, UK, and a number of other countries have also made the Indo-Pacific an increasing priority.
Germany sent a Bavarian frigate to the region in a nearly seven-month deployment that ended earlier this year. This is the first time a German warship has been in the Indo-Pacific in nearly two decades. Bayern took part in joint training with a number of allied nations including Australia, Singapore, Japan and the US. But his call to dock in a Chinese port was rejected.
For information, the 6 multirole Eurofighter jets involved in the exercise in Australia were accompanied by four transport aircraft and three tankers. They refuel in the air throughout a long flight, and also make stops along the way for refueling, inspection and pilot rotation.
During a stop at a base near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the German air force, the Luftwaffe, said that two of the Eurofighters were found to have technical problems. One was repaired on site but the other had a flaw in its hydraulic system so it was on hold.
The Luftwaffe said personnel were sent from Germany to further refine it so that it would be available for future military exercises in Australia, where all aircraft are bound for Singapore. Called Pitch Black, the exercise brought together about 2,500 personnel and 100 aircraft from around the world over three weeks in Australia's Northern Territory.
Apart from Germany, other European NATO members such as France, Britain and the Netherlands also participated, along with the US, New Zealand, Korea, UAE, India, Japan, Thailand and others. Following their participation in the August 19 to September 8 exercises in Australia, the German jets are scheduled to stop in Japan and South Korea on their way back to Germany.