The multinational Nusret-2025 Invitation Exercise, hosted by Türkiye, has officially commenced in the Gulf of Saros. The exercise brings together naval and air units from Türkiye and NATO, Coast Guard vessels, and military observers from numerous countries. Ahead of the exercise, a press briefing was held at the Çanakkale Military Museum Command, where Rear Admiral Birol Orak, Commander of the Mine Fleet, emphasized that Nusret is an annual exercise designed to train participating commands in mine warfare planning, execution, and evaluation while strengthening cooperation and interoperability with allied naval forces.

Rear Admiral Orak noted that the exercise is planned by the Northern Sea Area Command and commanded by the Mine Fleet Command. He highlighted that, in addition to traditional mine warfare training, the exercise will also include mine countermeasure scenarios related to drifting mine threats in the Black Sea and clearance operations linked to the Russia–Ukraine conflict. The exercise takes its name from the historic minelayer Nusret, which laid 26 mines in the Dardanelles in March 1915, altering the course of World War I. Its modern replica, the TCG Nusret Museum Ship—equipped with contemporary navigation systems—continues to honor this legacy and serves as an educational platform during the exercise.

Türkiye contributes a wide range of naval and aerial assets to Nusret-2025, including a command and control ship, a frigate, a corvette, two search and rescue vessels, three fast attack craft, three patrol ships, five mine-hunting vessels, one helicopter, one unmanned aerial vehicle, two underwater defense teams, and two light autonomous underwater vehicle teams. The Coast Guard Command is participating with four patrol vessels, while the Turkish Air Force supports the exercise with two F-16 fighter jets and one C-130 transport aircraft.

NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 is also participating with a command and control ship from Italy, as well as mine-hunting vessels from Italy, Spain, Türkiye, and Greece. In addition, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams from France, Romania, and Spain are taking part. A total of 44 observers from countries including the United States, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Egypt, Pakistan, Peru, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia are attending the exercise.

Scheduled to continue until October 31, Nusret-2025 is expected to enhance interoperability among allied and partner nations, strengthen international naval cooperation, and highlight Türkiye’s growing mine warfare and maritime operational capabilities.