Tulu Berke Saz /
18.05.2026 13:31
The EFES-2026 Combined Joint Live-Fire Exercise, largest planned exercises of the Turkish Armed Forces, has been conducting between April 11 and May 22 in the Gulf of İzmir and Doğanbey Live-Fire Exercise Area. A press briefing was held on May 18, by Colonel Bülent Kılınç from the General Secretary of Aegean Army Command to share information about the EFES 2026 Exercise.
The EFES-2026 Combined Joint Live-Fire Exercise has been conducting with the participation of the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff, the Turkish Land, Naval, and Air Forces, the Gendarmerie General Command, the Coast Guard Command, the Special Forces Command, various ministries, public institutions, and organizations. Additionally, 10,388 personnel, including a total of 1398 guest personnel from 50 countries such as United States, Germany, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Canada, Egypt, France, Guinea, Georgia, Italy, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Libya ( west & East together ), Holland, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Niger, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Syria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweeden, Japan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe participated in the exercise.
EFES 2026 Exercise emphasized a hybrid operational environment and urban warfare, focusing on Special Forces operations, night-time sea and air infiltrations, and the rescue of critical personnel, showcasing distinct differences from the exercises conducted in previous years.
The Distinguished Observer Day of the exercise will be conducted with the participation of the Minister of National Defense Yaşar GÜLER, and Chief of the General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Turkish Land Forces Commander General Metin Tokel, Turkish Airforce Commander General Ziya Kadıoğlu, Turkish Naval Force Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu. Distinguished Observer Day will also be attended by several high-ranking officials of Turkish Armed Forces & Allied Countries, in addition to Chiefs of General Staff from friendly and allied countries will be also present to observe the exercise.
The exercise, which was conducted in two phases, began with the first phase taking place from April 11 to April 17 as a Computer-Aided Command Post Exercise, followed by the second phase from April 20 to May 21 as the Live-Fire Field Exercise. The exercise has been held in the Western Anatolia, Central Aegean, İstanbul, Gulf of İzmir, and Doğanbey Live-Fire Exercise Area. The objectives of the exercise included several critical components, such as enhancing the combat readiness of the land, naval, and air forces in joint operations, raising cyber defense awareness, and improving capabilities to counter asymmetric threats.
Many indigenous solutions provided by the Turkish defense industry to the security forces will be used for the first time in this exercise. These included the MEMATT - Mechanical Mine Clearing Vehicle), 105mm BORAN Howitzer, ASLAN Unmanned Ground Vehicle that fitted with SARP RCWS (UGV), Dragon Eye-2 Thermal Camera, Karaok Short-Range Anti-Tank Weapon System, UMTAS- LUMTAS Anti-Tank Missile Systems, EJDERHA IED Detection and Neutralization System and the YENER-Modern Mine Detection System in land operation phase, GÖKBEY Utility Helicopter in joint air operations, First two vessels of Türkiye’s New Type Landing Craft Tank program (YLCT) “C-159” & “C-160” and Karayel Rigid Inflatable Boats in amphibious operations, Long-Range Air and Missile Defense Systems “SİPER”, Short Range Air& Missile Defense System HİSAR-A and Medium Range Air & Missile Defense System “HİSAR-O” as well as MKE TOLGA Short-Range Air Defense System will be demonstration in the day-time phase at Air Defense Position Area, within the scope of air defense operation phase, BAYRAKTAR-TB3 will be take-off the TCG Anadolu, BAYRAKTAR AKINCI UCAV will be also used in close air support & aerial surveillance operation, according to Air Defense Operation scenario İHTAR 100 Counter‑UAV system, KORKUT 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) and Kamikaze swarm drones will be at theatre, TEBER UCAV Munition will be dropped by AKINCI UCAV, MAM-T smart munition will be dropped both of TB3 & AKSUNGUR platforms, Navigation Electronic Warfare (ET) (MILKAR-A) System and GÖKBERK Mobile Laser Weapon System will be among the new technologies and weapon systems deployed during the exercise.
