German Air force fighter jets are planning to fly past Taiwan in September once they complete their multi-country assignment in the tense Indo-Pacific region. Six German Eurofighter Typhoons took off from Bavaria in south-east Germany, to join the air forces of 16 countries participating in Exercise Pitch Black in Australia. These are part of a 13-aircraft deployment that includes air force tankers and transporters.
According to the Australian Defence Ministry, Exercise Pitch Black will see 100 aircraft and 2,500 personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, the US and the UK participate in the exercises at Darwin, northern Australia.
German Air Force deploys fighter jets to the Indo-Pacific. We are stronger together with our partners around the globe. First stop is Singapore followed by air combat training in Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Fly safe! pic.twitter.com/nDaitjZCaz
— Emily Haber (@GermanAmbUSA) August 16, 2022
The participation by the German air force–the Luftwaffe, is significant as this would be Germany's largest overseas deployment of military aircraft since WWII.
After completing the joint military exercise from late August to September, the Germany air force will also visit Japan and South Korea, "passing through airspace adjacent to Taiwan on the way". The Germans are taking care not to provoke China and are sticking to flying on international routes.
German air force chief Ingo Gerhartz told media persons that the jets will "fly at an altitude of more than 10 kilometers and barely touch the South China Sea, and we will move on international routes". He added that Germany was not "sending any threatening message towards China by flying to an exercise in Australia".
Taiwan News says that the German air force has been preparing for this long deployment for nearly two years. It also wants to showcase that the Luftwaffe can travel swiftly around the world. This is the first time the German air force has flown aircraft to the Indo-Pacific since its founding in 1956.
The visit of the Germany air force to the region comes at a time when tensions are running high with the Chinese military intruding into Taiwanese air space and marine territory on a regular basis. Incensed with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China has already conducted live-fire drills around the island nation. It has also created no-fly zones around Taiwan.
Last year Germany had sent its frigate Bayern to the South China Sea (SCS) in a show of solidarity with the US and other European nations. With rising trade, diplomatic and military tensions between the US and China, European countries have rallied behind the US by sending their navies and warships to the contested waters in the SCS.
Many European nations, including Germany, France and the Netherlands also released Indo-Pacific strategy papers in 2021 with a view to recalibrating their ties with China.
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