EFES-2024 Exercise

The EFES-2024 joint military exercise, organized by the Ege Command, took place between 25 April and 30 May. The exercise began with a Computer-Aided Command Post Exercise from 25 April to 8 May, followed by a Live-Fire Field Exercise from 9 May to 30 May. The objective of the exercise was to promote international cooperation and enhance the coordination of military forces in various war scenarios.

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Military personnel from dozens of countries participated in EFES-2024, including Germany, the United States, Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, France, Gambia, Guinea, Georgia, Italy, Cameroon, Qatar, and Kazakhstan.

During EFES-2024, 33 new systems were tested for the first time. The Turkish Air Forces conducted the first-ever tests of a series of new weapons and sensors. Among the 33 new systems are the FIRTINA-2 155 mm KMT, BORAN 105 mm Light Howitzer, PARS 4x4 STA ATGM Vehicle, AMMTS 8x8 Mine Clearance Vehicle, MİLKAR series of electronic attack systems, SURALP Weapon Fire Radar, ASELSAN SERHAT Air Detection Radar, İHTAR Soft-Kill C-UAS System, ACAR UAV Detection Radar, and inflatable tank traps.

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The exercise, which began with a land bombardment at the Doğanbey Live-Fire Exercise Area in the Seferihisar district of İzmir, continued with artillery and air strikes. In accordance with the scenario, air assault operations initiated at night, with artillery and command and control vehicles transported by helicopters. The detection of an enemy submarine in the amphibious target area and the execution of training torpedo launches, artillery fire, identification and neutralization of mines detected by a mine-hunting vessel using autonomous underwater vehicles and mine-clearance divers, supporting artillery and helicopter fire for amphibious operations, medical evacuation to TCG Anadolu from underwater, tank fire exercises under the urban combat scenario, and firing from anti-tank weapons and Bayraktar TB2 and TB3 drones were among the other operational scenarios conducted during the exercise.

Some domestically produced products, including the Atak helicopter, the Korkut air defense system, and the TCG Anadolu vessel, were demonstrated during the exercise.