The Turkish Navy completed the Distinguished Observer Day of the Eastern Mediterranean 2025 Invitation Exercise, featuring an amphibious assault operation on Antalya’s Sarisu beach.

Navy Commander Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu, along with representatives from participating and observer countries and members of the press, monitored the drills from the frigate TCG Kemalreis on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan took part with a ship-landing detachment, the United States with a counter-terrorism security team and Pakistan with a maritime patrol aircraft, while 19 countries joined as observers.

The exercise involved Turkish Navy surface ships, submarines and air assets, SAT and SAS special operations teams, five Army helicopters, 44 F-16s from the Air Force and four Coast Guard boats.

As part of the scenario, amphibious units launched an assault to rescue simulated hostages. Three LCVP landing craft, four ZAHA armoured amphibious assault vehicles and five boats were deployed from the landing ship TCG Sancaktar, while additional marine units secured the shore by helicopter.

Forces arriving on the beach via LCMs, ZAHAs and boats neutralised an improvised explosive device before rescuing the hostages. A mock casualty was airlifted to TCG Sancaktar. Turkish and Azerbaijani troops then unfurled their national flags on the ship’s deck to salute Admiral Tatlioglu.

During the day, TCG Heybeliada and TCG Buyukada conducted a mail and equipment transfer to TCG Kemalreis, followed by a naval salute from participating units.

Tatlioglu said the exercise, which began on November 22, brought together 30 ships, 67 aircraft, underwater attack and defence teams, CBRN units and an amphibious marine battalion. Eight vessels from NATO’s Standing Naval Maritime Group and Mine Countermeasures Group also took part, alongside 93 participants from 19 countries, amounting to a total of 11,000 personnel.

He said the drills included crisis-response operations, multi-threat environments and humanitarian assistance scenarios. Unmanned aerial vehicles and armoured amphibious assault vehicles were used successfully, while swarm attacks by unmanned surface vessels and joint procedures involving UAVs, USVs and submarines were tested.

Highlighting the region’s strategic importance, Tatlioglu said: “Ensuring security in the Eastern Mediterranean is a national necessity for Türkiye’s future. This exercise once again demonstrated that our Navy’s distinguished personnel are fully capable of safeguarding our country’s rights and interests. The Turkish Navy is the guarantor of peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.”