For the second year, the Deutsche Luftwaffe – German Air Force (GAF), has committed itself to organizing the Multinational Air Group – MAG days, an exercise between several NATO air forces that takes place in northern Europe.
The MAGDAYs take place four times a year from 2019 and as already mentioned involve several allies in training with the aim of developing an initial operational capacity by 2023 and reaching full operational capacity in 2026. This year they have already taken place in February and March and for the third time out of four from 22nd to 25th June 2020. They are coordinated by the GAF and also include the participation of the Swiss Air Force.
In the exercise just carried out, the Eurofighters and the Tornados of GAF were cooperating “shoulder to shoulder” together with the F / A-18 Hornets of the Swiss Air Force, of the Air Force Base of Meiringen, Dutch F-16 from the Leeuwarden Air Base, the USAF F-16s from the Spangdahlem base and also the Eurofighter Typhoons from RAF Coningsby.
To support air combat exercises, and also as further training, four air-to-air refueling (A2A) aircraft were used: the German Airbus A310 and A400M, as well as Royal Air Force A330 Voyager and US Air Force KC- 135, the tankers refueled the fighter planes in the established refueling areas. The entire MAG exercise took place in the training areas on the North Sea off the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as in northern Germany.
“MAGDAYs are an excellent example of multinationalism at work allowing the Luftwaffe to operate shoulder to shoulder with European Allies and Partners in preparation of combined missions.” Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz – Chief of the German Air Force
The MAGDAYs were very much appreciated by all the participating forces, whose pilots reiterated the need for such a collaborative exercise to improve the work of the NATO air forces for the defense of the European skies and agreed to meet the next event.