In a show of strength for allies China and Russia, three European countries held the biggest airlift in their history to take part in five different military exercises in the Indo-Pacific, Beijing’s strategic focus in Cold War 2.0 with the United States.
Germany, France and Spain mobilized 48 aircraft, including fighters, transport planes, aerial refueling and helicopters, for a 58 thousand km journey that began on June 27 and will last until August 15.
The Pacific Skies mission is the first integrated operational test of the FCAS (Future Air Combat System) program. The initiative unites the three countries in the development of a so-called sixth-generation fighter and drones that will be controlled by it, which is scheduled to become operational in the 2040s.
From a political point of view, this is also a European response to the fear that a possible victory by Donald Trump in the American election will once again affect transatlantic relations. When he was in power, from 2017 to 2021, the Republican left NATO in the dust, an alliance led by the US and whose annual summit will begin next Tuesday (9).
By choosing the Indo-Pacific for their show, the three Europeans seek to show that they are not only stuck with the serious security crisis brought to their borders by the Ukraine War, but also with an eye on the great game of the 21st century, the rivalry between the West led by the US and China, dominated by the Russians and their large nuclear arsenal.
Of course, there are limits to pretension, and they start with your pocket. The US, the largest military power in history, spends 70% of NATO’s total defense spending, which unites Washington, Canada and 31 European countries. Its touring capabilities are unmatched.
The idea of cooperation is therefore also economic, uniting both forces and budgets in future missions.
Therefore, the three set up a respectable circus. Germany brings 12 Tornado attack aircraft, 8 Eurofighter fighters, 4 A400M heavy aircraft, 4 H145 helicopters and 3 A330-MRTT tanker aircraft, these from the European refueling force. France employs 4 Rafale fighters, 3 A400M and 3 A330-MRTT. The Spanish, minority partners in the group, arrive with 4 Eurofighters, 2 A400M and 1 A330 personnel carrier.
The action will begin this Monday (8) on the largest military creation ground in the world, in Alaska. The US-led Arctic Defender exercise will train in area defense and precision ground attacks — the role of the German Tornadoes in securing international travel, as the F-35 replaces tactical nuclear bombs in the attack mission . .
In this first phase, which continues until the 18th, 60 planes and 500 American military personnel will participate. From there, the group travels to Japan to take part in Nippon Skies, the first time German fighters will train alongside their former allies who were defeated in World War II (1939-1945).
However, part of the German contingent will separate to take part in the US Navy’s annual Rimpac maneuvers in Hawaii.
After the Japan exercise, the group will head to Australia, the US’s main ally in the Pacific, for the Pitch Black exercise. Ultimately, the German and French navies will move from there to India, where the capable local Air Force will command the Tarang Shakti simulation.
The Rafale and Eurofighter will have the chance to face Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighters from India, a country that has excellent relations with Russia, but is China’s strategic aggressor in Asia — just one example of the complexities which includes the country. A new Cold War.
There will be two parallel events in the Pacific Skies: a visit by a German A400M to New Zealand and a second fleet, consisting of 3 Rafale, 3 A330-MRTT and 3 A400M from France, which will participate in another Australian exercise, Strike Griffith. , with a British aviation group.
As it turns out, China and Russia’s direct competitors in the global environment belong to Pacific Skies. Since establishing “unlimited friendship” 20 days before the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have increased their joint military operations.
Both have ongoing bomber patrols and naval maneuvers, and this week China and Russia launched another action of their forces with vessels in the Pacific Ocean.
For the Europeans, it is a reinterpretation of the effort to put the new weapon system on its feet. Until now, the European military aviation industry was divided between the French (whose main product is the Rafale at the moment), European consortia (Eurofighter) and the Swedes (the Gripen, purchased by Brazil).
The flooding of the market by F-35 fighters, of the so-called fifth generation, stealthy to radar, locked this niche to the Europeans. It was their duty to add strength for the next step in the evolution of the fighters. Sweden’s role is uncertain, and analysts believe it will only decide whether to continue with its own plane or join the NATO partners it has just joined for the next decade.