Germany to Send Military Planes to Indo-Pacific

Berlin, Aug. 14 (Jiji Press)--The German Air Force will send military aircraft to Indo-Pacific countries including Japan, Australia, South Korea and Singapore for the first time from Monday for joint drills and other activities. Germany hopes to deepen military ties with Asian democracies while stepping up efforts to check China's hegemonic ambitions. Now that war of aggression has returned to Europe, Germany is also watching with concern the axis of confrontation in the Indo-Pacific region, Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, chief of the German Air Force, said in a written interview, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in mind. Through the dispatch of the aircraft, including six Eurofighter jets, Germany aims to show that it is thinking about security beyond Europe, Gerhartz said, expressing eagerness to increase his country's involvement in Asia including Japan. Last year, the German Navy sent a frigate to the Indo-Pacific region including waters near Japan. The vessel participated in monitoring activities to stop North Korea's illegal ship-to-ship cargo transfers. The aircraft dispatch is among the largest dispatch projects for the German Air Force since the end of World War II, according to Gerhartz. But Berlin is not sending a threatening signal to China, he added. The aircraft to be dispatched also include four A400M transport planes and three A330 MRTT refueling aircraft. Germany aims to show off its ability to send aircraft quickly from Germany to Asia using aerial refueling. According to the Australian military, Exercise Pitch Black, a joint military drill, will take place in Australia for about three weeks from Friday, bringing together 17 countries including Japan and Germany. To Japan, the German Air Force will send three Eurofighter jets for three days from Sept. 28 to conduct a joint flight with the Air Self-Defense Force. Gerhartz will discuss defense cooperation with Defense Ministry officials. The aircraft dispatched to the Indo-Pacific region will return to Germany in early October. Germany drew up foreign policy guidelines for the Indo-Pacific region in 2020, saying it will shift its focus away from China and strengthen ties with other Asian countries. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Japan in April this year. Japan is the first Asian country to which he traveled since he took office in December last year. END