Anatolian Eagle returns

摘要

AFTER AN absence of three years, Exercise Anatolian Eagle (AE) returned to Konya Air Base in central Turkey from June 17-28. The failed July 2016 coup and subsequent removal of many personnel from the Turk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force), meant it was not in a good enough shape until now to stage such an event. Political alliances have changed since then and unlike in 2016, there was no Saudi Arabian involvement this year. Qatar did take part however and Turkey's closest ally in the Middle East, sent a C-17A Globemaster III and C-130J Hercules. Pakistan, another of Turkey's allies deployed five JF-17 Thunders which were making the type's debut in a NATO exercise. Jordan made its seventh appearance with two F-16As and a F-16B while Italy was represented by three AMX. Despite the political fall-out between the United States and Turkey, stemming from the latter's deal with Russia to procure the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile (SA-21 Growler), the United States Air Forces in Europe sent six F-15E Strike Eagles from its 48th Fighter Wing's 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath, England. NATO forward deployed an E-3A AWACS to Konya.