BERLIN

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said that the ongoing Air Defender 2023 maneuvers in Germany are the biggest air drills in the history of the Western military alliance.

“This is the biggest air exercise in NATO’s history. This exercise sends a very clear message that NATO is ready to defend every inch of allied territory and to defend every inch of allied air space,” Stoltenberg said at a joint news conference with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius at the Jagel Air Base.

“Air defense is important at all times to keep our people safe,” the NATO chief added.

For his part, the German defense minister echoed Stoltenberg’s remarks, saying the Air Defender maneuver is necessary because "freedom and security have to be worked hard for and defended."

“Because unlike only a few years ago, the threat to security is real again," Pistorius added, referring to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Stoltenberg and Pistorius witnessed the air maneuvers, watched the training and weapon systems and spoke to soldiers. Some 25 nations with 250 aircraft and 10,000 soldiers are taking part in the exercise under German leadership until Friday.

Members of the German Bundestag Defense Committee, and air force commanders from 19 countries, including Türkiye’s Gen. Atilla Gulan, also attended the distinguished observers’ day at the Jagel Air Base.

A fictitious scenario is used in the airspace over Germany to train how the Western defense alliance reacts to an attack and in doing so reconquers areas already occupied by the enemy.