The Efes Combined Joint Physical Ballistic Operation held internationally this year for the first time by Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) between 4 May and 4 June was performed on 30 – 31 May at Doğanbey district in Seferihisar / İzmir with the participation of distinguished observers and members of the press. Troops from Armed Forces of Germany, USA, Azerbaijan, England, Qatar, Pakistan, Poland and Saudi Arabia attended the operation with Turkey this year for the first time. One of the riveting changes in the operation in which observers from seventy nine countries with 900 foreign staff and 7 thousand 500 soldiers was the various scenarios that were executed this year. The hybrid operation covering the fight against terrorism, cyber warfare and psychological warfare was taken as a basis this year for the first time in addition to the amphibious landing, close air support, gunfire and missile support scenarios which were conducted independently in the previous years.

The night phase of the operation performed at the Doğanbey district as in the past years which was conducted on the first day for the press members was breathtaking. Initially the Chief of General Staff Full General Hulusi Akar and commanders – in – chief of armed forces arrived at the operation area and they were followed by the visitor chiefs of defense arriving with helicopters. The operation was carefully watched by Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defense Zakir Hasanov, Saudi Arabia’s Chief of General Staff Abdulrahman Saleh Al Bunyan, Qatar Chief of Defense Ghanim bin Shaheen Al-Ghanim, Ukraine’s Chief of General Staff Viktor Muzhenko, Poland’s Deputy Chief of Staff Anatol Wojtan, Japanese Commander of Land Forces Kiyofumi Iwata and Pakistani Commander of the Land Forces Raheel Sharif in addition to the Chief of General Staff Full General Hulusi Akar and all commanders – in – chief of armed forces, the Minister of National Defense Mr. Fikri Işık from the platform prepared especially for the audience.