News from Berlin - The German military will begin military exercises with eleven other countries this week. The skies over northern Germany will be full of fighter planes over the next two weeks as Germany launches its largest military exercise of the year. The exercises will involve over 4,500 soldiers, including 800 from the Netherlands, Italy, Finland, Slovenia, France, Greece, Switzerland, Austria, Turkey, Hungary and the United States.

The Joint Air Warfare Tactical Exercise (Jawtex) has been planned for over two years, and seeks to train the tactical integration of all armed forces: air force, army and marines. The exercise will last from May 12^th to May 22^nd, focusing on air attack and defense, and air transport and evacuation operations. The central command post will be placed in the village of Jüterbog, a former East German town 60 kilometers southwest of Berlin which had been a military base for most of the twentieth century.

The troops will remain in the training areas of Munster, Klietz, Altengrabow and the mountain regions of Saxony-Anhalt. With the participation of troops from so many different countries - NATO members and non-NATO members - the working language will be English. Military aircraft being used during the eleven day exercise includes Turkish F16s, Hungarian Gripens, Finnish F18s, and Eurofighters from Germany and Italy.

News from Berlin - Berlin Global