KONYA: A Pakistan Air Force contingent, consisting F-16 fighter jets, air, and ground crews, arrived at the 3rd Main Jet Base in Konya, Turkey, to participate in the Anatolian Eagle 2023 exercise.
The exercise is one of the largest and most complex joint air force exercises in the world, and it aims to promote interoperability between participating nations while providing an opportunity for shared learning.
Hosted by the Turkish Air Force, the exercise mimics a realistic aerial war, and apart from Pakistan and Turkey, five other countries, including Azerbaijan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, are also participating in the seventh consecutive edition of the exercise with their fighter jets.
Pakistan is participating in the exercise with its state-of-the-art F-16C/D fighter jets. Qatar participated in the previous year’s exercise with brand new Eurofighter jets that they had received in August 2022.
The United Arab Emirates Air Force will participate in the exercise with F-16 Block 60 aircraft, which are the only ones of their kind. The Saudi Kingdom will showcase its F-15SAs, and the United Kingdom Royal Air Force will bring Eurofighter Typhoon jets.
Pakistan, being an Iron Brother of Turkey, is looking for an alternative solution against French Rafale fighter jets, and if they acquire the Eurofighter, it can pave the way for a roadmap for their Aegean Sea neighbor.
