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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 the Blue Flag exercise at Ovda Air Base, Israel in October 2021 Gerhartz jointly with Israeli Air Force commander General Amikam Norkin, celebrates a symbolic act: Norkin as co-pilot of an 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]
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]
Personal life
Gerhartz is married to a teacher, they have two children.[11]