In fact, the difference is not too great, but for Germany, it is an opportunity to demonstrate to the allies their leadership qualities in the military field. “We play a leading role in these exercises, and that’s exactly what our partners constantly tell us: let’s do it, especially with your position in Europe,” said Ingo Gerhartz, commander of the army of the German look.
The German military leadership says that the Air Defender exercises have been planned since 2018, so they are supposed to be purely defensive in nature and not directed against any country. Even if, in principle, everyone understands that it is Russia that will be considered as a potential adversary during the maneuvers. In the Bundeswehr, however, this is also not particularly hidden, although they promise that there will be no flights to Russia Kaliningrad.
Western media write that the exercise should be a “signal for Moscow”, and German military expert Thomas Wigold notes that the United States and other NATO countries want to demonstrate the possibility of deployment and a rapid reinforcement of the air forces in Europe in this context. path. In general, the United States will play a key role in the Air Defender – during the exercises they will transfer about 100 of their aircraft to Europe. Apparently, it is primarily to the Americans that the German military intends to demonstrate their leadership abilities. At the very least, Ingo Gerhartz offered to conduct these exercises in 2018 during his first visit to the United States, and Washington has long been pushing the Germans to become more militarily active.
For Germany, however, all this demonstration of its Allied leadership and capabilities will come at a high cost. During the exercise, three major air zones will be closed over the country – in the east, northwest and south, in connection with which significant disruptions in the movement of civil air transport are expected. More precisely, they have already begun – with the beginning of the exercises. On Monday, serious delays in arrivals and departures were reported by airports in Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin and other cities.
The situation is aggravated by the start of the tourist season and the airspace is also closed over the German resorts on the North Sea coast. The Germans, however, were warned of all this in advance, but they promised that the delays would only affect single flights. Although in any case, passengers are unlikely to receive compensation – airlines in this case are not responsible for the actions of the military.
Environmentalists, meanwhile, are worried about the “carbon footprint” that the “Air Defender” will leave in the German air. According to various estimates, during the exercise, the army will emit from 35 to more than 200 thousand tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which is comparable to the annual emissions of a small city. According to the German Environmental Protection Agency, about half of the emissions will come from American aircraft, second – the German Air Force itself. In addition, citizens will have to endure the noise of supersonic fighters in the air – including over resorts.
The United States will deploy about 100 of its planes to Europe during the exercises
The greenhouse gas argument was also taken up by German anti-war organizations opposed to the exercise. “Anyone who hears or sees a military plane in the sky must remember that every second it burns huge amounts of tax money, which is not enough in the social, educational or medical fields, as well as in the field of climate protection”, says the political director of the German Society michael schulze von glasser. However, the main thing German pacifists warn about the drills is the danger of them escalating into a real military conflict because of “a misunderstanding or the wrong push of a button”.
But the government is not too worried about all these arguments. They now speak of Allied solidarity and the need to be ready for defence, and amid the exercises Chancellor Olaf Scholz intends to visit Jagel Air Base in Schleswig-Holstein to personally witness the air defense force training.
In addition to environmental and anti-war organizations, only the Left Party, some AfD politicians, as well as citizens spoke out against the “Air Defender”. Protest demonstrations at military bases and in various towns have already started and will continue for the duration of the exercises. But most Germans, according to an ARD flash poll in West German Saarland, are willing to endure inconvenience in order to maintain a sense of security.
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