Germany starts an eleven-day military exercise

The skies in Norther Germany will be packed full of fighter jets within the next weeks. Local military forces and other eleven countries join forces in a large international exercise.

However, German military officials confirmed the drill has nothing to do with the situation in Ukraine. The military exercise was planned way before the crisis in Ukraine started. “For it to have anything to do with Ukraine would have required a great degree of clairvoyance,” Luftwafe spokesman told The Local.

The join operation is called JAWTEX 2014 and it will involve 12 countries. More than 4,000 troops and tens of planes will take place at the Joint Air Warfare Tactical Exercise. Eleven NATO and non-NATO countries sent soldiers marines and planes to Germany.

First jets into the exercise will be Eurofighters out of Germany and Italy, Hungarian Gripens, Finnish F/A 18s but also Turkish F16s. Holland, Slovenia, Greece, France, Austria, USA and Switzerland also sent personnel and jets.

However, officials stated people living in Northern Germany will not be disturbed by lound jet engine sounds because most of the flying exercises will take place at high altitude, while rest of them will take place on ground at local military bases. JAWTEX 2014 will last eleven days.