Thirteen German military aircraft were on their way to Australia on Tuesday as Germany looks to strengthen its presence in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing tensions with China.

The six Eurofighters and seven military transport aircraft were due to land in Singapore on Tuesday before travelling on to Australia under the mission dubbed Rapid Pacific 2022.

The fleet will take part in training exercises in Australia and Singapore before stopping off in Japan and South Korea on the way back to Germany, the Luftwaffe German air force said.

The Luftwaffe's first deployment to the region and comes at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and the West after China launched military drills around Taiwan following a visit earlier this month by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the self-governed island.

The aim of the mission is for the Luftwaffe to "test its interoperability with allies inside and outside NATO in the Indo-Pacific", the German army said.

Germany has been looking to boost its presence in the Indo-Pacific and in August 2021 dispatched a frigate to the region for the first time in almost 20 years.

The six Eurofighters and around 250 German soldiers will take part in two training exercises in Australia, known as Pitch Black and Kakadu.

The missions will involve both air-to-air and air-to-surface combat exercises, including training in how to protect ships from the air.

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific narrows H1 loss, eyes better end to year
Hong Kong (AFP) Aug 10, 2022
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific on Wednesday reported losses had narrowed in the first half after an "extremely difficult start" to the year, but said its capacity will improve in coming months as travel sentiment improves. The US$637 million loss in January-June was narrower than the US$968 million deficit suffered in the same period last year, as the airline benefited from strong cargo demand and cost-cutting measures. Chairman Patrick Healey said in a statement that the first few months were ... read more