Turkish army launches winter military exercise near Armenian border

ANKARA

AA photo

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) launched its bi-annual winter military exercise in the eastern Anatolian border province of Kars between Feb. 14 and 16, the army has said.

A three-day military exercise attended by the Air Forces Command and Army Aviation Command was launched on Feb. 14 with 1378 personnel, 330 different types of vehicles, and 1281 weaponry of various kinds, the TSK said in a written statement. 

It stated that the third day of the exercise, determined as “distinguished observer day,” was attended by some 40 foreign military attaches on Feb. 16. Civilian organizations, public institutions and organizations, as well as some defense industry firms, have contributed to the exercise.

According to the TSK, the exercise revived battlefield conditions in all its dimensions in order to test the combat ability of the troops including shooting in snow and severe cold weather, to increase the synergy of fire and maneuver, to train the troops on basic issues such as settlement, accommodation, life, clothing, replenishment, maintenance activities in winter conditions, and to improve survival skills.

The objectives of the exercise are said to be to improve individual and collective education, to provide the commanders with the opportunity to refer and exercise their troops under heavy winter conditions reaching minus 25 degrees Celsius, to take and implement necessary survival measures, to enable the troops to recognize the possibilities and capabilities of other classes, and to strengthen joint training with other forces and elements performing logistic activities.