NATO’s Largest-Ever Aerial Wargame Has Russia, China in Mind
German-led exercise simulates mass deployment in skies across Europe in response to an attack
BERLIN—NATO is conducting the largest air force exercise in its history in the skies above Europe in wargames that allied commanders say are producing valuable lessons for deterring potential Russian and Chinese aggression.
The Germany-led exercises involve around 250 aircraft—including strategic bombers and more than 10,000 troops from members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as well as Japan and Sweden—simulating a response to an attack from an adversary resembling Russia.
German paratroopers prepare before loading into C-130s at the Saarbrücken airport.
German paratroopers about to board C-130s at Saarbrücken. The large aircraft, one of NATO’s main tactical airlifters, perform multiple missions during the exercise.
The paratroopers prepare to jump during drills that bring the soldiers to the edge of NATO airspace.
During the two weeks of drills that end Friday, allied planes have flown sorties in the Baltics along the borders between NATO states and Russia, and around the Black Sea, practicing dropping paratroopers, bombing enemy defenses and countering missile and jet-fighter attacks.
The lessons learned won’t only be used in the defense of Europe, but also in the protection of allies such as South Korea and Japan from adversaries including China, said Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, director of the U.S. Air National Guard, which provided 100 aircraft, including B-1 strategic bombers and F-35 jet fighters to the drills.
The cockpit of an American C-130 transport plane flying over western Germany. Russia’s attack on Ukraine has been a wake-up call for NATO members. With the recent addition of Finland, the alliance now has a much longer border with Russia.
Germany’s air force chief, Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, who conceived and hosted the exercise, said the effort wasn’t only aimed at projecting strength to potential adversaries such as Russia and China, but also to reassure the citizens of NATO members that the alliance is ready and willing to defend itself.
“We are exercising the defense of our country and of our Alliance in order for everyone to take seriously our pledge to protect every centimeter of our territory,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said during a visit to the exercise.
The wargames demonstrate NATO’s ability to quickly move troops and hardware over large distances to counter an attack. This sends a clear signal to Russia and others that NATO territory and airspace is a “red line,” said Gerhartz, Germany’s air chief.
Write to Bojan Pancevski at bojan.pancevski@wsj.com
The War in Ukraine
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