The exercise, known as Air Defender, is led by the German government and brings together the largest number of aircraft from outside Germany for a training mission since NATO was founded in 1949.
The United States flew about 100 National Guard and Navy aircraft to Germany for the exercises.
Pilots will conduct other missions with fighter jets, the show horses of the sky, at five other bases across Germany.
Air Force Gen. Ingo Gerhartz of Germany, who is overseeing Air Defender, said it was not “directed at anyone,” and emphasized that no offensive scenarios would be practiced.
“We are a defense alliance, and so this exercise will be of a defensive nature,” General Gerhartz told reporters in Berlin.
Persons:
Ingo Gerhartz, General Gerhartz, Gerhartz, Putin, “
Organizations:
Air, NATO, United States, National Guard and Navy, Pilots, Air Force
Locations:
Germany, Wunstorf, Ukraine, United States, Russia, Berlin, Crimea, Ukrainian, Moscow