German Air Force’s Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon aircraft. Credit: Hermann Keist/commons.wikimedia.org.

The Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) has conducted the first bilateral training exercise with the German Air Force.

According to a report by Nikkei Asia, the exercise was conducted as part of Germany’s efforts to increase its contribution to maintaining security in the Indo-Pacific region.

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The exercise also aimed to enhance the partnership between Japan and Nato.

In a tweet, JASDF said that the German Air Force’s chief lieutenant general Ingo Gerhartz flew a Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and landed at Hyakuri Air Base (AB) in the north-east of Tokyo on 28 September, after an eight-hour-long sortie from Singapore.

It marked the first time a German Eurofighter visited Japan, the JASDF’s tweet claimed. 

Nikkei’s report quoted Gerhartz saying: “The exercise proved that we could move through the area speedily. We will continue to be involved in this region.”

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The bilateral event also saw the participation of JASDF’s three F-2 fighter jets along with JASDF chief of staff general Shunji Izutsu.

JASDF tweeted: “On 09/28 #JASDF carried out joint training with the German @Team_Luftwaffe. It was the first bilateral exercise in Japan between the #JASDF and the German Lw, which is of great importance from the point of view of maintaining and strengthening the #FOIP.”

Last month, the German Air Force also deployed its aircraft in the Northern Territory to take part in Australia’s Pitch Black 2022 exercise.

Conducted from 19 August to 8 September, Pitch Black aimed to enhance regional security in the Indo-Pacific region.

It was the first time Germany participated in this exercise.

This was also the first time German Air Force deployed its fighter jets and aerial refuelling aircraft in the Indo-Pacific region.

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