Nato begins unprecedented air drill in ‘show of strength.

BERLIN:(UNA) Nato began its largest ever air force deployment exercise in Europe on Monday, in a display of unity toward partners and potential threats such as Russia.

The German-led “Air Defender 23” will include some 250 military aircraft from 25 Nato and partner countries including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance. It will run until June 23.

Up to 10,000 service members are to participate in the drills intended to boost interoperability and preparedness to protect against drones and cruise missiles in the case of an attack within Nato territory.

“The significant message we’re sending is that we can defend ourselves,” Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz of the German Luftwaffe told public television.

“Air Defender” was conceived in 2018 in part as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine four years before, though Gerhartz insisted it was “not targeted at anyone”.

He said the exercise would not “send any flights, for example, in the direction of Kaliningrad,” the Russian enclave bordering alliance member states Poland and Lithuania.

“We are a defensive alliance and that is how this exercise is planned,” he said.