Turkey starts naval drill in Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean

ANKARA

The Turkish navy on Tuesday started the Sea Wolf 2021 drill in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean waters.

In a caption with a video of the drill shared on Twitter, the National Defense Ministry called the Turkish navy "the lightening claw of the waters."

Sea Wolf 2021, which will run through June 6, aims to test the management, efficiency, judgment, foresight, and decision-making abilities of the naval forces.

It will also measure the capabilities of coordination with air and land forces and public institutions. A total of 10 public institutions and the Turkish Red Crescent are part of the exercise.

About 25,500 personnel, 132 ships, 10 submarines, 43 aircraft, 28 helicopters, and 14 unmanned aerial vehicles will be on the field for surface warfare, submarine defense warfare, electronic warfare, and rescuing personnel scenarios.

In the final phase of the drill, 83 ships will visit 22 ports in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

The Turkish navy carried out a similar drill, Blue Motherland, in March 2019.