The activities of the Egyptian-Turkish joint air exercise “Anatolian Eagle 2026” concluded in the Republic of Türkiye following several days of training conducted at one of the Turkish Air Force bases, with the participation of the Air Forces of Egypt, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan, in addition to a NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft.
The exercise was attended by Lieutenant General Amr Saqr, Commander of the Egyptian Air Force; Major General Sherif El-Arayeshi, Chief of the Armed Forces Training Authority; and a number of senior Armed Forces Commanders from the participating nations, the Egyptian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The exercise featured numerous joint sorties conducted by multi-role fighter aircraft, focusing on offensive operations against simulated hostile targets, the defense of vital assets, the interception and engagement of unmanned aerial systems, and air-to-air refueling operations.
The training also included the provision of close air support to ground forces, demonstrating the high levels of precision, professionalism, and operational proficiency of the participating aircrews.
The “Anatolian Eagle 2026” exercise forms part of the Armed Forces' joint training program with brotherly and friendly nations, aimed at expanding the horizons of military cooperation and further enhancing the combat readiness and operational capabilities of the Egyptian and Turkish Air Forces.
In another development, Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production, attended the final phase of the Air Defense Forces’ night-time missile live-fire exercise.
The event was also attended by Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the commanders of the main service branches, and a number of senior Armed Forces Commanders.
The activities commenced with an address by Lieutenant General Yasser El-Toudy, Commander of the Air Defense Forces, in which he affirmed the Air Defense Forces’ unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest levels of combat readiness to execute all assigned missions under various operational conditions.
He highlighted the advanced technological capabilities possessed by the Air Defense Forces, enabling them to safeguard Egypt’s skies and secure its airspace as an integral component of the Armed Forces’ integrated combat system.
The main phase of the exercise involved countering simulated hostile air attacks using multi-range missile systems. The participating units successfully engaged and accurately destroyed their designated targets with a high degree of precision and efficiency, reflecting the principles of the modern military doctrine governing air defense operations, in which missile and air strikes are predominantly conducted at night to achieve tactical surprise and disrupt hostile air defense systems.
Earlier phases of the exercise included the movement and deployment of personnel and equipment from various Air Defense specialties during both day and night to designated operational areas, as well as the implementation of procedures designed to ensure the successful execution of live-fire missions under realistic operational conditions.
At the conclusion of the exercise, Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher commended the outstanding performance demonstrated by the participating personnel, praising their professionalism and operational proficiency throughout the exercise. He further emphasized the Armed Forces General Command’s commitment to providing continuous support to the Air Defense Forces and equipping them with the latest combat systems to enable them to effectively carry out their assigned missions in light of the evolving nature of modern warfare.
Lieutenant General Zaher also paid tribute to the Air Defense personnel deployed at their operational positions, acknowledging their unwavering dedication as they continue to serve day and night, exerting every effort to safeguard Egypt’s skies and protect its airspace. (Source & Photo © Egyptian Ministry of Defense)
