The Eastern Mediterranean-2025 (EM-25) Invitation Exercise has begun, hosted by Turkey. On the first day of the exercise, a press briefing with wide participation was held aboard the TCG Sancaktar ship, affiliated with the Aksaz Naval Base Command. Many Turkish and foreign military officials and members of the press attended the briefing.
The fictional crisis scenario created for the exercise includes crisis response operations, humanitarian aid, and disaster response activities. Officials emphasized that the exercise tests joint operational capability in a realistic crisis environment.
The meeting held at the Aksaz Naval Base Command in Marmaris district of Muğla was attended by the Commander of the War Fleet, Rear Admiral Mehmet Baybars Küçükatay, the Commander of the Southern Task Group, Brigadier General İlyas Ergel, the Commander of NATO Standing Naval Forces (COM SNMG-2), the Commander of NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Forces (COM SNMCMG-2), Commodores, Turkish and foreign ship commanders, and foreign observers and military delegations from 15 countries.
In a statement made by Lt. Col. Ali Ercüment Opçin, it was expressed that the exercise aims to enhance interoperability between Turkish Naval Forces elements and NATO Standing Naval Forces and other national elements, and to assess mission capabilities simultaneously.
The exercise, which will take place off the coast of the Mediterranean, is being participated in by elements of the Turkish Naval Forces, the NATO Standing Naval Maritime Group (SNMG-2), the NATO Mine Countermeasures Group (SNMCMG-2), and land, air, and naval elements from friendly and allied countries. In the exercise; many elements from warships to submarines, from unmanned systems to search and rescue units are taking part. Participating as the host nation’s navy will be; 22 surface ships, 4 submarines, 18 air elements, 1 SAT team and 2 SAS teams; the Land Forces Command will assign 5 helicopters; the Air Force Command will perform 22 sortie flights with 44 F-16 aircraft. The Coast Guard Command will assign 4 Coast Guard Boats. In the exercise; a total of 30 ships and 67 air elements will take part.
The Distinguished Observer Day will be held on December 2, 2025. In the following days of the exercise; surface warfare, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, protection of critical infrastructure, non-combatant evacuation, and amphibious operation training will be conducted.
It was emphasized that the Eastern Mediterranean-2025 Exercise aims to once again demonstrate Turkey’s deterrent power at sea, both in terms of military preparedness and international cooperation.
