Egypt and Türkiye have concluded a joint military exercise focused on countering drones and conducting unconventional live-fire drills, with the participation of Egyptian airborne and commando units and Turkish special forces.
According to a statement issued Saturday by the Egyptian military spokesperson, the final phase of the multi-day Golden Eagle exercise included “an operation to storm a terrorist stronghold in a residential area using helicopters, during which hostages were freed and the terrorist elements apprehended.”
The training featured conventional and unconventional live-fire drills, vertical assault exercises using an aircraft simulator and training on handling improvised explosive devices.
Participants trained in first aid and lifesaving procedures, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and methods of countering them, free-fall simulation in a vertical wind tunnel and operational free-fall parachute jumps.
The exercise comes amid growing military cooperation between Egypt and Türkiye, reflected in a series of joint drills held since the two countries signed a military framework agreement five months ago during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Cairo in February.
The Egyptian military spokesperson said the exercise also included a “friendship jump” in which troops carried the flags of both countries, demonstrating the participants’ “high level of proficiency and advanced technical skills.”
The final phase was attended by several senior Egyptian and Turkish military commanders, as well as Türkiye’s military attaché in Cairo.
The first phase of Golden Eagle included theoretical lectures on a range of subjects aimed at standardizing operational concepts and improving integration and coordination among participating personnel. An exhibition of the weapons and equipment used during the exercise was also held.
Last week, Egypt’s commander-in-chief of the armed forces and minister of defense and military production, Ashraf Salem Zaher, met Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler in Türkiye to discuss strengthening military cooperation in training and the transfer and exchange of expertise between the two countries’ armed forces.
