Luftwaffe deploys Eurofighters in Indo-Pacific for first time

Germany has demonstrated its ability to deploy a detachment of combat and support aircraft in the Indo-Pacific region. The detachment, which includes six Eurofighter Typhoons, four A400Ms, and three A330 MRTTs, will operate in the region until 4 October 2022. (Janes)

The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) has flown a detachment of Eurofighters with supporting aircraft and personnel into the Indo-Pacific region. The aircraft covered a distance of 12,700 km within 24 hours.

According to the German Bundeswehr (armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany), this is the first deployment of Luftwaffe Eurofighter Typhoons to Asia.

The Bundeswehr said that the exercise is an attempt to show the German Air Force's operational readiness. The operation, known as Rapid Pacific 2022, is also a demonstration of Berlin's ability to project combat air power to the region.

The flight comes at a time of increased tensions between China, the US, and Washington's allies. Germany's Minister of Defence, Christine Lambrecht, issued a statement that this first deployment of Eurofighters and supporting aircraft shows that “we also think about safety beyond Europe”.

The Chief of the German Air Force, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, is among 250 Luftwaffe personnel deployed with the detachment to the Indo-Pacific. “With this deployment… we are sending a clear message: the air force can be deployed quickly and over global distances, even with several missions to be fulfilled in parallel,” he said on 16 August.

The detachment is scheduled to operate in the Indo-Pacific for nearly seven weeks, according to NATO.