Why a Large German Transport Aircraft Flew Over Korean Airspace

A400M Transport Aircraft Arrives at Seoul Airport on the 28th
Air Force Considers 2nd Large Transport Aircraft Project... Deliberating on Introducing Three Large Transport Aircraft Worth 710 Billion Won

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The A400M transport aircraft operated by the German Air Force will arrive at Seoul Airport on the afternoon of the 28th. This is the third time an A400M transport aircraft has visited Korea, but it is the first time that an A400M belonging to the German Air Force is coming.

According to industry sources on the day, the A400M transport aircraft will land at Seoul Airport around 6 p.m. The German Air Force has been participating in the joint air exercise "Rapid Pacific 2022," sequentially passing through four countries including Singapore, Australia, Japan, and Korea since August 15. The three Eurofighter jets participating in this exercise will head to Japan.

The visit of the A400M transport aircraft is in consideration of the Republic of Korea Air Force's second large transport aircraft project. This project involves the additional acquisition of three large transport aircraft worth 710 billion won, with Europe's Airbus A400M, the United States' Lockheed Martin C-130J-30, and Brazil's Embraer C-390 Millennium being the leading candidates.

The German Air Force participated alongside the Republic of Korea Air Force in the multinational joint air exercise "Pitch Black," which was held until the 7th. This was the first time for both Korea and Germany to participate in Pitch Black. The Republic of Korea Air Force dispatched a squadron of six KF-16s and KC-330 aerial refueling transport aircraft, training together with NATO member countries including the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France.

After visiting Korea, the A400M transport aircraft is expected to proceed to its stopover in Singapore. It is predicted to fly through airspace adjacent to Taiwan, and Germany, the leading power of the European Union and the core force of NATO in Europe, projecting military power in the Asia-Pacific region is interpreted as demonstrating the U.S. and NATO's strategy and joint response toward China and Russia.

Earlier, the NATO summit held in Madrid, Spain, in June explicitly mentioned for the first time in the "2022 Strategic Concept" the challenges posed by China, and expanded its scope by inviting leaders of Asia-Pacific partner countries, including President Yoon Suk-yeol, who are not NATO members.

However, Ingo Gerhartz, Chief of Staff of the German Air Force, drew a line in an interview with German media by stating, "There is absolutely no intention to send a threatening message toward China."

The A400M has a range of 8,900 km, which is longer than the C-17 (7,600 km), considered the world's best strategic transport aircraft, and its maximum takeoff weight is 140 tons, about twice that of the C-130H (74 tons).