Turkey's largest multinational military exercise, EFES 2016, begins
11:21, 31/05/2016, TuesdayU: Update: 11:43, 31/05/2016, Tuesday
Yeni Şafak
Turkish President and Prime Minister joined the Turkey-led EFES 2016 military drill as 860 military personnel from eight countries conduct most comprehensive military exercise ever
The main phase of the multinational “EFES 2016" military exercise hosted by the Turkish Armed forces is taking place in Turkey's Aegean coastal city of İzmir with the participation of personnel from eight countries.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım arrived at the drill area to watch the exercise, named “EFES-2016 United Common Drill with Real Shootings."
The comprehensive military drill led by Turkish military brought together 860 military personnel from eight countries, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Qatar, Pakistan, Poland, Germany and Azerbaijan.
A large number of Turkey's land, air, naval and gendarmerie forces attended the military exercise, while domestically built weapons, including Attack helicopters and Altay tanks participated as well.
Military observers from 74 countries were invited to the exercise.
Meanwhile Turkish Armed Forces (TSK)'s General Staff released a video of Attack helicopters night fire training during the drill.
Turkish military said that 16 Cougar, Sikorsky and UH-1 helicopters were used by the soldiers. Shells and rocket projector systems were landed by the helicopters in the area. The evacuation of a soldier from the operation area was also shown in the exercise.
EFES 2016 will end on June 4.
