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Exercise Report : Anatolian Eagle 2021

Exercise ANATOLIAN EAGLE 2021 – Konya, Turkey

The return of the annual Anatolian Eagle exercise of the Turkish Air Force this year included participation by Qatar, Pakistan and Azerbaijan. Photos by Simone Marcato and George Karavantos

The Turkish Air Force (THK) hosted the Anatolian Eagle multinational exercise at the 3rd Main Jet Base in Konya for the first time again since the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its establishment in 2001 up to 15 countries, more than 33000 personnel and 2000 air assets participated at 43 Anatolian Eagle editions for a total of around 24000 sorties flown. Anatolian Eagle 2021 was held between June 21st and July 2nd.

Anatolian Eagle 2021 Participants

Besides the usual presence and numerous aircraft from the host nation, AE 2021 saw the participation of Qatari, Azerbaijani and Pakistani air forces. Apart from the Turks, no NATO countries were present with their own aircraft, the only exception being an E-3A Sentry AWACS. More impressive was the large number of nations observing the exercise: Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Georgia, Iraq, Sweden, Kosovo, Lebanon, Hungary, Malaysia, Nigeria, Romania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Oman, Jordan, and Japan.

The Azerbaijan Air Force participated for the first time with fighter jets, sending a pair of MiG-29s from Sumqayit/Nasosnaya air base and two Su-25s from Kürdəmir air base.

Following their debut at Anatolian Eagle two years ago, the Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunders returned to Konya with five aircraft from 16 Squadron "Black Panthers" based at Minhas/Kamra air base.

The Qatar Emiri Air Force attended the exercise with four of its brand new Rafales from 1st Fighter Wing, Tamim air base. This marked the debut of the Qatari Rafale DQ/EQ in an international exercise abroad. These French-made fighters can become a usual presence at Konya air base, as it was reported that the Turkish military chief General Yasar Guler signed a technical agreement with his Qatari counterpart to undertake flight training in Turkey for the next five years with the possibility of a one-year extension. If the Turkish parliament signs the deal into law, Qatar will be able to permanently deploy up to 250 personnel and 36 aircraft on Turkish soil, with the large base of Konya as the most likely location due the presence of the Anatolian Eagle Training Center (AETC) and the large, dedicated air space available for training. Such a deployment could include the Qatari Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighter jets, C-17 and C-130 cargo aircraft, and AW-139 and AH-64 Apache helicopters.

The large Turkish component making up the Blue Force in the exercise consisted of 30 F-16C/D from 113, 151, 152, 181 and 191 Filo and support aircraft, including one KC-135R tanker from 101 Filo and one ANKA-S UAV of 302 Filo. A single E-7T AEW&C of the 131 Filo provided the battlefield situational awareness (along with the NATO E-3A Sentry).

The Turkish Air Force also acted as Red Air with surface-to-air assets along with 8 more F-16C/Ds of 132 Filo. Those aggressors were easily recognized due to the flashy red stickers applied on the tail and on the tailplanes.

A welcome surprise during the Media Day was the arrival of two F-4E-2020 Phantoms from 111 Filo, both with special tails. Despite not participating in the full exercise program, the two planes took part in an afternoon mission the following day before returning to their home base in Eskisehir.

The Turkish Naval Forces also participated with two Frigates and two Fast Attack Crafts operating off Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast.

The Exercise

The training scenario consists of two imaginary nations: Blue (democratic, with a strong military power and allied with world-leading countries) opposed to Red (a poor country but with a good military power and growing as regional power, governed by military after a coup). Under the control of AETC operational command, the Blue forces conducted Combined Air Operations (COMAO), SEAD/DEAD, air superiority, CAP (Combat Air Patrol), CAS (Close Air Support) and CSAR (Combat SAR) operations against targets located within the Red country’s borders, heavily defended by different types of weapons from advanced SAM systems to 4-4,5 generation combat aircraft.

The objectives of the exercise are to prepare pilots and air defense personnel by working in an operational scenario that is as realistic as possible, developing joined and combined operational procedures, keeping attrition to a minimum, and increasing mission effectiveness by giving the opportunity to the fighter pilots to execute their planned tactics in large aerial packages. Finally, by training the participants as they fight the exercise is a useful forum to exchange ideas and lessons learned.

The exercise also serves the Turkish Air Force and NATO to supervise and evaluate the combat readiness and interoperability of 6 F-16s, 1 KC-135R tanker aircraft, and 6 Stinger Air Defense Teams committed to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) that forms part of the NATO Response Force (NRF).

Acknowledgment
The Author would like to thank the Turkish Air Force, the Lt. Col. T. Tumer from AETC, the Lt.Col. Serdar Turk, the Air Attaché of Turkey in Rome, and the PAO, Capt. Emrah Akbay and M.Sgt. Tevfik Cimen for their help and the great organization.

The most numerous aircraft type at Anatolian Eagle 2021 was of course the F-16 from multiple Turkish Air Force squadrons
Turkish Air Force 151 Filo F-16D backseater holding up Anatolian Eagle 2021 and 151 Filo patches
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale DQ making its international debut at Anatolian Eagle 2021
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale CQ QA223 take-off
Turkish Air Force 181 Filo F-16D 07-1017
Turkish Air Force 181 Filo F-16D 07-1017
Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder
Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder
Anatolian Eagle 2021 flight-line with Turkish F-16s of 152 and 191 Filo and Azerbaijani Su-25s and MiG-29
Turkish Air Force 181 Filo F-16D 07-1018 on tow
132 Filo Aggressor F-16C 93-0687 take-off
132 Filo Aggressor F-16C 93-0674 take-off
132 Filo Aggressor F-16C 94-0091 take-off
193 Filo's F-16C 93-0681 climbing out for another sortie
09 blue was one of the two Azerbaijani Air and Air Defense Force Su-25s present at Anatolian Eagle 2021
132 Filo F-16C 93-0674 acted at Red Force
8x F-16s of 132 Filo played as Red Force, including F-16C 93-0008
132 Filo Aggressor F-16D 92-0023 landing after the afteroon sortie
C-130J-30 Hercules of the Iraqi Air Force delegation
Final checks before taxi out
151 Filo's F-16C performed the SEAD role
06 blue was one of the two Azerbaijani Air and Air Defense Force iG-29s present at Konya
FOD walk on the main platform
Iraqi Air Force C-130J-30 Hercules YI-304
Turkish pilot climbing into the cockpit of his F-16
F-16C and F-16D from 191 Filo lined up for take-off
Pakistan Air Force C-130E Hercules 4148 at landing
Turkish F-4E-2020 Phantom IIs ready for take-off
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 ready for take-off
Azerbaijani Air and Air Defence Force's Su-25 blue 23 landing
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 09 landing
The two F-16Cs of the Solo Türk display team landing
NATO E-3 Sentry landing
Mixed formation of Pakistani JF-17s with Turkish F-16s
Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder 19-257 belonging No 16 squadron Black Panthers
Mixed formation with both Solo Türk F-16s, Azerbaijani's Su-25s and Turkish F-4s
Low pass of the two F-4E-2020 Phantoms
The two 111 Filo 'Panthers' F-4E-2020 Phantoms with their anniversary markings from 2019
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 with 1949-2019 70 Years NATO markings
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 with 1949-2019 70 Years NATO markings
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 with 60 Years of Service markings
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 with 1949-2019 70 Years NATO markings
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 close-up
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 close-up
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 close-up
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 1949-2019 70 Years NATO and 60 Years of Service tailart
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020s joining Anatolian Eagle 2021 flight-line
Turkish Air Force F-16 Solo Türk dynamic display
Turkish Air Force F-16 Solo Türk landing
Turkish Stars display
Turkish Air Force 191 Filo F-16D 94-1557
Turkish Air Force 191 Filo F-16D 94-1557
Turkish Air Force 193 Filo F-16C 93-0649
Turkish Air Force 113 Filo F-16C 94-0078
Turkish Air Force 113 Filo F-16C 94-0078
Turkish Air Force 113 Filo F-16C 93-0663
Pakistani Air Force JF-17 Thunder 17-244 taking off
Pakistani Air Force JF-17 Thunder 17-244 take-off
Turkish Air Force 182 Filo F-16C 90-0013
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 take-off
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 take-off
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 take-off
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 09 take-off
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 09 take-off
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 09
Azerbaijani Su-25s climbing away
Turkish Air Force 132 Filo F-16C 93-0674 landing
Turkish Air Force 132 Filo F-16D 91-0024 landing
Turkish Air Force 132 Filo F-16C 93-0008 landing
Turkish Air Force 132 Filo F-16D 92-0023 landing
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 landing
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 landing
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 close-up
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 landing
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 23 landing
Turkish Air Force 181 Filo F-16D 07-1017
Azerbaijani Su-25 blue 09 landing
Turkish Air Force 113 Filo F-16C 93-0663 landing
Turkish Air Force 113 Filo F-16C 94-0078 landing
Turkish Air Force CN235-100M 94-080 landing
Turkish Air Force 131 Filo E-7T AEW&C 13-001 landing
Turkish Air Force 131 Filo E-7T AEW&C 13-001 landing
Turkish Air Force CN235-100M 94-073 landing
Turkish Air Force 152 Filo F-16C 89-0039
Turkish Air Force 152 Filo F-16C 92-0013
Turkish Air Force 151 Filo F-16C 92-0010
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale CQ QA-222
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale CQ QA-222
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale CQ QA-223
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale DQ QA-202
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale CQ QA-210
Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale CQ QA-210
Turkish Air Force 181 Filo F-16D 07-1017
Turkish Air Force 182 Filo F-16C 91-0016
Turkish Air Force 182 Filo F-16C 90-0013
Azerbaijani MiG-29 blue 06
Azerbaijani MiG-29 blue 06
Azerbaijani MiG-29 blue 06
Azerbaijani MiG-29 blue 06
Pakistani JF-17 Thunder 17-244
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 Phantom
Turkish Air Force 111 Filo F-4E-2020 Phantom


Report by Simone Marcato. Photos by Simone Marcato and George Karavantos





First Published: 20 August 2021
Last Modified: 20 August 2021

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