Turkish Armed Forces set for 3 major drills in May

The Turkish Armed Forces conduct major exercises: Anatolian Phoenix, Seawolf-II and EFES in a bid to develop capabilities

The Turkish Armed Forces will conduct three significant drills in May including Anatolian Phoenix, Seawolf-II and EFES

Anatolian Phoenix

First is the International Anatolian Phoenix Drill, slated for May 6-17. Azerbaijan, Qatar, Poland, Romania, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye will participate in the drill, which will be held at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command in Konya.

The drill aims to improve command and control during a personnel rescue operation, enhance interoperability between task force elements, and identify areas of cooperation.

Seawolf-II

Next, the Seawolf-II Exercise will run from May 7 to 18 in Marmaris. With over 15,000 personnel participating, this large-scale drill tests the operational capabilities of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard in simulated combat scenarios.

Live firing exercises, port visits and demonstrations of new weapons are part of the program. The drill aims to improve decision-making capabilities in challenging environments and test joint interoperability procedures with other Forces.

EFES-2024

Lastly, the EFES Exercise unfolds in two phases: the Computer-Assisted Command Post Exercise from April 25 to May 8 and the Live-Firing Field Exercise from May 9 to 30.

EFES, led by the Aegean Army Command in Türkiye, aims to improve joint military capabilities and readiness levels.

This drill, which included 49 countries, is the largest participation of the EFES series to date. It aims to improve the combat readiness of joint headquarters and units in combined and joint operations by covering all assigned tasks and military capabilities.

49 countries participating

These drills involve various participants, including troops from various Turkish military commands and allied and friendly countries, including the U.K., U.S., Germany, Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Germany, United Arab Emirates and other ministries and organizations.

In particular, Exercise EFES-2024 is one of the most comprehensive drills in the EFES series, with military personnel and units from 49 countries participating.

Defense industry exhibition

Additionally, a defense industry exhibition by 48 defense firms will be held in the Doganbey Exercise area in Seferihisar, Izmir, on May 28, as part of the EFES-2024 Exercise activities.

Elite observer activities for the Live-Fire Field Exercise will then round off the month on May 29-30.

Source: AA