The Nusret-2026 military exercise is continuing for its second day in the provinces of İzmir in western Türkiye and Zonguldak in the north. Naval and air assets from 24 countries are participating in the exercise.
Naval and air assets from NATO, the Turkish Naval Forces and the Turkish Coast Guard Command are taking part. The exercise includes 24 countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Romania, Oman, Germany, Spain and Greece.
Purpose of the exercise
General Osman Çevik of the Turkish Naval Forces said at a press briefing that the exercise began one day earlier. Çevik said the activities aim to train participating units in planning, conducting and evaluating mine warfare operations, while improving cooperation and interoperability between the Turkish Naval Forces and the naval forces of friendly and allied countries.
Held annually, the exercise takes its name from the Nusret minelayer, which laid 26 mines in the Dardanelles in 1915. The vessel’s mission on March 8, 1915, contributed to changing the course of World War I.
Twenty naval assets and five aircraft taking part
Nusret-2026 includes 20 naval assets and five aircraft, as well as underwater defense teams and autonomous underwater vehicles. A total of 870 personnel are participating in the exercise.
The İzmir phase includes four minehunters from NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 and a logistics support vessel. These assets belong to the Turkish, German, Spanish, Italian and Greek naval forces.
Underwater defense teams from the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Romania and Oman are also taking part in mine-clearance operations in İzmir’s very shallow waters.
The Nusret-2026 exercise is scheduled to conclude on October 16 following the final evaluation activities.
Official visits and a defense industry exhibition in İzmir
Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry said official courtesy visits and a force reception were held in İzmir as part of the Nusret-2026 invitational exercise, hosted by the Turkish Naval Forces Command with friendly and allied countries from Oct. 6 to 16.
A press briefing was held aboard the frigate TCG Salihreis, and participants visited an exhibition of Turkish defense industry companies at Alsancak Port.
