Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, witnessed the final phase of the Egyptian-U.S. joint exercise Bright Star 2025. The phase included a series of naval training activities, in the presence of General Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, along with a number of Senior Commanders from the Egyptian Armed Forces and participating nations.
The activities commenced with a detailed briefing on the training activities, which covered defense against asymmetric threats through live surface artillery firing with various calibers, boarding and inspection of a suspected vessel, and a simulated amphibious assault on a hostile shore by Special Forces elements using naval landing and airborne insertion.
Multi-role aircraft conducted air strikes against designated coastal targets, while ground forces executed security operations and repelled the hostile landing. The events demonstrated the high combat proficiency of the participating forces, their professional execution of assigned tasks, and their ability to operate with precision under demanding timelines, the Egyptian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
At the conclusion of the phase, Lieutenant General Khalifa commended the distinguished performance of the participating forces. He stressed that the advanced combat capabilities showcased during the exercise reflect the scale of joint efforts and close coordination that ensured the training’s success and the achievement of its objectives. He further expressed his aspiration that future iterations of the exercise would see broader multinational participation, thereby enriching military cultural exchange and enhancing joint operational cooperation.
General Choupis also praised the interoperability and level of coordination achieved by the participating forces, emphasizing their ability to operate collectively in full cooperation to accomplish the planned training missions.
On the sidelines of the exercise, Lieutenant General Khalifa met with Mr. Nicolas Von Arx, Regional Director of the International Committee of the Red Cross, expressing appreciation for the Committee’s active contribution to Bright Star 2025.
Held from 30 August to 10 September, Bright Star 2025 witnessed the participation of 44 friendly nations. The exercise was conducted at Mohamed Naguib Military Base and across several naval and air bases in Egypt.
Involving over 8,000 troops from 14 countries, with an additional 30 states participating as observers, Bright Star 2025 reinforces multinational military cooperation. It remains one of the region’s largest and most comprehensive joint land, naval, and air exercises. (Egyptian Ministry of Defense; Photo © Saudi Press Agency)
