Winter Exercise-2025

Winter Exercise-2025 is being conducted at Karst, at the Martyr Is. Asb. Ustçavuş İlhan Hamlı Firing and Exercise Range, from 20 January to 7 February 2025, under the command and control of the 9th Corps Command, managed by the Land Forces Command, within the framework of Türkiye’s host nation status, with the participation of friendly and allied forces by the 14th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Command.

The primary objectives of the exercise include ensuring cooperation and coordination in the execution of joint and combined operations, testing combat capabilities including firing under deep snow and extreme cold conditions, simulating the battlefield in all its dimensions, enhancing the synchronization of fire and maneuver, improving training levels in terrain deployment, shelter, logistics and maintenance activities under winter conditions, increasing survivability, and ensuring the operation of command and control systems in winter conditions.

1. Ministry of National Defense

2. General Staff of the Armed Forces

3. Land Forces Command

4. Naval Forces Command

5. Air Forces Command

6. Special Forces Command

7. Civil Public Institutions and Organizations

8. United States of America

9. Azerbaijan

10. Bangladesh

11. Bosnia and Herzegovina

12. Georgia

13. Italy

14. Kazakhstan

15. Kosovo

16. North Macedonia

17. Pakistan

Turkish Land Forces’ modernized ZMA-15 armored fighting vehicle, converted into an unmanned system capable of remote control and autonomous movement, participated in the exercise for the first time. The vehicle, equipped with an unmanned and remotely controlled weapons system for fire support, retains its manned operational capability due to its unique design. It is also suitable for operation on muddy roads, desert conditions, asphalt roads, stabilized surfaces and soil terrain.

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The indigenous and national Air Defense Early Warning and Command and Control System (HERİKKS) was also introduced during the exercise.

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A team composed of special forces from participating countries conducted an infiltration operation against the designated enemy target as per the scenario. Special forces deployed by helicopter to enemy targets successfully completed their mission by destroying caves.

Using ASELSAN’s “Fire Direction Information Systems,” targets were accurately engaged with precise fire. A guided missile was fired from an armored anti-tank vehicle using the CİRİT missile. Additionally, Atak helicopters maneuvered from behind the tank formation and neutralized targets using locally developed Cirit and UMTAS missiles.

At the exercise area where troops were air-dropped from cargo aircraft via parachute, F-16s and paramotors flying with the Turkish flag performed a salute flight.

In the final phase, a sniper team composed of joint forces engaged the enemy’s machine gun and anti-tank weapon positions. Turkish soldiers hit their targets with pinpoint accuracy using the locally developed KN-12 sniper rifle.

The KARGU kamikaze mini-UAS, the mini-UAS systems Akrop and Komodo, the Proton Elite Tunnel Detection Device, the base-mounted Cirit, the Togan and Serçe 2 mini-UAS, the Serçe 3 mini-UAS, the 81mm and 120mm electronic mortar fire direction system, the KN12 sniper rifle, locally developed and nationally produced winter uniforms rated for temperatures down to minus 25 degrees Celsius, assault vests, and locally developed and nationally produced CBRN protective suits were all utilized during the exercise.

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