German aircraft join the anti-ISIL coalition fighting in Syria



ANKARA: -- The German air force has joined the air power coalition fighting ISIL in Syria.

German Tornado fighter-bombers are being used by coalition air power as spotters for attacks by planes from other forces, notably the US, France and Britain but also Gulf state planes. They will not engage in lethal operations unless fired upon.

In total Germany will deploy six Tornadoes, which will fly from the Incerlik airbase in Turkey.

Also deployed are some 1200 military personnel who will help guard the base and train anti-Assad and anti-ISIL fighters. Germany is also contributing refueling planes and a frigate to help guard France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.

The deployment was approved in the German parliament last week, an unprecedented post-war overseas deployment for the Germans in support of EU partner France.

The government faced lively criticism in the Bundestag, but the vote was won with ease despite many people’s reservations about the effectiveness of such an air campaign.

Germany is also helping France in Africa, sending troops to Mali to join the fight against Islamic extremists there, and taking some of the strain off French forces.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-12-11

"They will not engage in lethal operations unless fired upon."

How sweet. Political correctness at its best. Don't be a bad guy and bomb, just spot so that others can bomb.

Translation: Germany is so broke from taking in economic opportunists from the ME that it can't afford bombs.

Cheers.

time to check my eye sight, I read "In total Germany will deploy six Tomatoes"

Bombers without bombs sounds like more air clutter in an overstressed airspace. What is the point?

Bombers without bombs sounds like more air clutter in an overstressed airspace. What is the point?

The point is to "allow" Germany to be seen to take part in overseas military actions. Just like Japan is being "allowed" to re-arm and also take part in more overseas operations.

All part of their rehabilitation from WW11. Maybe some (certain) support to get them more responsibility at the UN soon too.

Someone wants to see a strong Germany, which will dominate EU if Britain does exit and a strong Japan as China eyes up more expansion. Now, who might that be?

Re-arm the two evil Axis partners of WW11, one of which refuses to recognize it did anything wrong or allow it's citizens to be told the real history. What could possibly go wrong?

Germany is a Nato country which this deployment to the ME communicates to Putin with a certain and unmistakable emphasis. Chancellor Merkel and Germany are finished with any warm relations with the Chekist Putin and his Russia.

Turkey Pres Erdogan could send a note about it to Putin but that would be unnecessary. Assad won't notice tho because he's so deep in Putin's pocket he hasn't seen daylight for months now.

The Tornado is a multi-purpose warplane. It can be a fighter, another time it can be a bomber. It is not militarily wise for it to try to be both simultaneously. No doubt, its function in this deployment by Germany is as a fighter jet spotter. There is no purpose in in this deployment to use it in its capability as a bomber.

Putin meanwhile has his battlestar galactica S-400 super high tech air defense system idling on the ground scaring no one.

The question now is whether Putin had muscle that has atrophied or whether Putin ever had any muscle at all.