The German Air Force has sent a fleet of 13 aircraft for its first-ever deployment to the Indo-Pacific region to demonstrate Berlin’s operational capability during the exercise and show solidarity with its allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The exercise comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region between China and the U.S. and its allies over Taiwan and is aimed at expanding European Union’s defense ties in the Indo-Pacific region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
German defense minister Christine Lambrecht told reporters that despite the war in Ukraine being a priority, Asia has not been forgotten. \u201cWe are at the side of all of those who stand for our values such as democracy, freedom, and security, and are also willing to contribute,\u201d she said. \u201cOur focus at the moment is naturally on the eastern flank, for which Russia\u2019s brutal war of aggression is to blame, but we also have to keep an eye on other regions,\u201d Lambrecht said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The German air force fighter jets took off from Neuburg, Germany, and neared Singapore on Tuesday in a marathon bid to fly them some 12,800 kilometers (8,000 miles) from their home base to Southeast Asia in just 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n