The press tour of the International Anatolian Phoenix-2026 Exercise was held at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command in Konya, where participants were introduced to the aircraft and helicopters taking part in the drill. Following a briefing at the Anatolian Eagle Training Center, invited guests moved to the live exercise area, where the Turkish Armed Forces hosted a multinational personnel recovery scenario designed to reflect real combat conditions.

The exercise brought together military elements from Türkiye, the United States, Azerbaijan, Poland, and Slovakia. Organized to improve interoperability with partner nations and identify new areas of cooperation, the drill featured aircraft, helicopters, and rescue teams operating in a joint environment. The exercise aimed to strengthen command-and-control coordination as well as combat search and rescue capabilities under realistic wartime conditions.

Live ammunition was used during the scenario, which included close air support, time-sensitive targeting, personnel recovery from hostile territory, land-supported air interdiction, convoy protection, personnel extraction, and high-altitude insertion with low-altitude parachute deployment, infiltration, and exfiltration tasks. These mission sets highlighted the broad operational spectrum required in modern personnel recovery operations and demonstrated how air and ground forces must work together under pressure.

One of the most striking moments of the exercise came when strategic targets designated by Special Forces and Personnel Recovery Teams were struck with precision by F-16 fighter jets. After suppressive fire by air assets, helicopters launched from the 3rd Main Jet Base moved into the area to evacuate injured personnel. Once the helicopters landed under controlled conditions, security teams secured the area and rapidly loaded the wounded soldier onto the aircraft. During the extraction, harassment fire from hostile elements was countered by attack helicopters using cannon fire, allowing the recovery operation to continue successfully.

The operation was observed by Chief of the General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, force commanders, delegations from participating countries, and members of the press. Bayraktaroğlu stated that the “sky homeland” is protected at all times through the power of the Turkish Air Force, advanced technological systems, and the determination of highly qualified personnel. He emphasized that such dominance in the air can only be sustained through continuous training and realistic exercises, describing Anatolian Phoenix-2026 as one of the clearest field examples of that doctrine. He also noted that this year’s exercise included 10 teams from 4 countries and observers from 22 countries, while SOLOTÜRK once again demonstrated the courage and discipline of Turkish aviators.

Türkiye participated in the exercise with 3 F-16s, an E-7T airborne early warning and control aircraft, an AKINCI UAV, ANKA-S, CN235 aircraft, T-70 helicopters, and units from the gendarmerie, air, land, naval, and special forces commands, including SAT and JÖAK teams. Azerbaijan took part with 2 SU-25 aircraft and 3 teams, while the United States joined with 4 special teams. First held in 2009, the Anatolian Phoenix series continues to serve as a major platform for improving personnel recovery capabilities and raising the experience level required by current and future battlefields.