EFES-2022 Exercise, one of the largest planned exercises of the Turkish Armed Forces, has kicked off. While the exercise started with the first phase, the Computer Aided Command Ground Exercise, the actual phase has started on May 20.
The exercise in the Doğanbey Firing Exercise Zone will end with the Distinguished Observer Day activity to be held in the second week of June.
More than a thousand foreign personnel from 37 countries will participate in the exercise. It is planned that more than 10 thousand personnel, together with Turkish Armed Forces elements, will participate in the EFES-2022 Exercise, which is the largest joint joint exercise in the region.
While 8 countries participated in the exercise in 2016 and 20 countries in 2018, EFES-2022, in which 37 countries will participate, is the exercise with the largest participation in its history.
Italy, the US, France and Many More
The Italian frigate will take part in the exercise, in which many elements will take part in addition to the torpedo boat of the Libyan Naval Forces, a landing ship will be deployed along with CH-53 helicopters, howitzers and armored vehicles of the US Armed Forces.
Some of the countries that will participate in the exercise are as follows: Italy, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Albania, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, USA and France.
The USA is participating in the EFES Exercise for the first time since 2016. The USS Arlington (LPD-24) Amphibious Landing Craft and Air Cushion Landing Vehicles (Hovercraft) were transferred to Izmir for this purpose.
Another first is from France. French paratroopers were seen in the exercise preparation video shared by the Turkish MoD. Defense ministers, chiefs of staff and force commanders from more than 20 countries are expected to follow the exercise’s Distinguished Observer Day activities.
As part of a generic scenario, amphibious operations supported by artillery will be carried out; targets will be hit by ground fire support vehicles, warplanes and attack helicopters.
In EFES-2022, where Special Forces Operations will also be carried out, ship-to-target maneuvering, airlift, combat search and rescue, and residential area capabilities will also be exhibited.
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SOURCE: TurkishDefenseNews