Gerhartz joined the German Air Force on 1 July 1985 as a conscript. From 1986 to 1987 he attended officer training in Fürstenfeldbruck.
He was then selected for flying training, attending Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas from 1988 to 1989, where he flew the Cessna T-37 Tweet and Northrop T-38 Talon trainer aircraft. From 1989 to 1990, he then attended weapon systems training for the F-4 Phantom II at George Air Force Base, California.[2]
From 1990 to 1998, Gerhartz served as part of Fighter Wing 71 (Jagdgeschwader 71), operating the F-4F Phantom II, and stationed at Wittmundhafen Air Base. There he also served as the wing's operations officer.[2]
From 2000 to 2003, Gerhartz commanded the flying group of Fighter Wing 73 (Jagdgeschwader 73), operating the MiG-29 Fulcrum at Laage Air Base.[2]
From 2008 to 2010, Gerhartz commanded Fighter-Bomber Wing 31 (Jagdbombergeschwader 31), operating the Panavia Tornado IDS and Eurofighter Typhoon. During this time, he deployed to Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission. During the deployment, which lasted from February to October 2009, Gerhartz flew more than 50 missions in the Tornado.[2]
From 2010 to 2018, Gerhartz held various staff positions in Air Force Forces Command (Luftwaffenführungskommando), Air Force Command (Kommando Luftwaffe), and in the Federal Ministry of Defence.[2]
Inspector of the Air Force
Since 29 May 2018, Gerhartz has been serving as the Inspector of the Air Force (Inspekteur der Luftwaffe), the commander of the German Air Force.[3][4]
He worked in intensifying the work with Israel. In 2020 for the first time the Israeli Air Force took part in "Blue Wings“ above German territory.[5] On 18 August 2020 Israeli and German planes flew in joint formation above the concentration camp memorial place in Dachau and above Fürstenfeldbruck, the latter being the site of the 1972 Olympia attack. MAGDAYs a joint exercise with Hungary and Israel is another example for the cooperation.[6]
During Blue Flag at Ovda, Israel in October 2021 Gerhartz jointly with Israeli Air Force commander General Amikam Norkin, celebrates a symbolic act: Norkin as Copilot of a F-15 Eagle of the Israeli Air Force and Gerhartz as pilot of a Eurofighter of the Luftwaffengeschwader Boelcke flew side by side of the government area and the Knesset in Jerusalem. The Times of Israel noted, that this was the first flight of a German fighter over Jerusalem since World War One. A few days later Gerhartz received from the Chief of Staff GenLt. Aviv Kohavi, the Chief of Staff Medal of Appreciation for his special special merits with respect to the IDF and the security of Israel.[7]
During the war of Israel against Hamas he visited Israel as a sign for solidarity with Israel. On 6. November 2023 he met with the chief of the Israeli Air Force General Tomer Bar, had a short meeting with the defence minister Yoav Galant and also met the German ambassador in Israel Steffen Seibert. On 7 November 2023 he donated blood at the Sheba Medical Center.[8]
Taurus leak
In 2024, Gerhartz was one of the participants in a top-secret telephone conference on the potential provision of Taurus missiles to Ukraine that was intercepted and leaked by Russia.[9][10]
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