Low-flying German military aircraft have been buzzing New Zealand skies and are a sight illustrating how dramatically the world is changing in history and geopolitics.
During the week, Herald visual journalist Michael Craig was invited aboard a Luftwaffe (German Air Force) A400M heavy-lift plane for an exercise flying out from the RNZAF Whenuapai airbase.
The scenario was flying to a “conflict zone” staged at RNZAF Woodbourne base near Blenheim for a fast load and turnaround.
Five minutes after climbing aboard the giant machine, Craig was offered a sick bag three times – a blunt omen of the flight to come and likely a sign of German efficiency in avoiding a mess.
Once airborne and cruising, the reason for the offering became obvious.
“I was shocked,” said Craig.
“Looking out the window, I thought I was looking down on clouds but then realised it was water. We were skimming across the ocean in these huge planes”.
Operation Tūhono Rangi 25 is a two-week exercise between the New Zealand Defence Force and the Luftwaffe, which has five visiting transport planes, including the huge A400Ms.
The operation’s goal is to test the interoperability of the two countries’ military forces through various exercises, including low-level flying in New Zealand’s varied terrain, aerial delivery to ground troops and parachute drops.
Seeing aircraft emblazoned with the Luftwaffe insignia flying in Kiwi skies is an odd sight, especially for those with long memories – a fact Colonel Markus Knoll, the leader of the German contingent, acknowledged.
“I had the honour to attend the Armistice ceremony here in Blenheim. It was the first time I realised how many New Zealand men and women were sent over to Europe during the First World War.
“So over 100 years ago, we were on different sides, we were enemies, and now we are sharing the same values.
“And we owe it to all these innocent victims back then – World War I, World War II – that both of our nations, together with our allies, are defending democracy all around the world.”
On landing at Woodbourne, there is a scurry of action ending with armed New Zealand soldiers clambering aboard for the return journey to Auckland.
A question on many observers’ minds is, “Why would the German Air Force fly across the globe to exercise with the New Zealand military?”
Knoll said while Germany’s defence focus was to its east – an obvious nod to Russia’s expansionist actions, most notably the invasion of Ukraine that has Nato countries on edge – it maintains a global perspective on defence operations.
“Our Government also has an Indo-Pacific strategy. We’re not focusing on one spot of the world, but we have all the other spots also in mind.
“Secondly, as a Wing Commander, if we could project our technical capabilities down here, we could project them everywhere in the world.”
The Tūhono Rangi exercise comes as Germany is going through its greatest defence force expansion since reunification. It is a historic shift in focus.
Until recently, the Bundeswehr (the German Defence Forces) had been ridiculed for its low morale and old equipment, but it is now arming itself with cutting-edge war machinery.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced spending of more than €600 billion ($1200b) over the next five years, hoping to reach a military budget that takes in 3.5% of the GDP of Europe’s largest economy by 2029.
They are not alone. This year, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced an increase in New Zealand’s military spending, which aims to reach above 2% of GDP in eight years.
RNZAF Squadron Leader Matt Williams said the opportunity to exercise with a Nato country and ally was valuable.
“It’s a test of where we stand alongside a Nato member, but also our processes and our standard operating procedures, and seeing how we understand each other – are there any barriers that exist and how do we overcome those challenges together?
“Organisations such as the German Air Force, with their experience and understanding of what they perceive as happening in Europe, we can cross-pollinate and also be able to understand elements down in the Southwest Pacific that they will learn from us.”
For the record visual journalist Michael Craig was not sick on either flight.
Mike Scott is a multiple award-winning visual journalist whose work spans breaking news, investigations, long-form features and documentaries. For more than 20 years he has told stories across New Zealand and abroad, capturing some of the nation’s most significant moments by blending photography, video and words.
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