Anatolian Eagle

With thanks to the Headquarters of the Turkish General Staff and the Turkish Air Force, the Turkish Embassy in The Hague in The Netherlands, and to all the other individual persons for their great support and hospitality during all those trainings.

North to South 180NM, East to West 215 NM wide AE airspace is one of the largest military training areas in the world, allowing multiple assets to employ their tactics away from the effects of any traffics around. 

Located at 3rd Main Jet Base Konya, is a high level tactical training center, providing realistic combat training to our units and friendly countries in a high threat environment. The AETC is one of the most sophisticated military training centers in the world and is one of the three training centers with such capabilities in the world. Although it is a recent center established in 2001, AETC is considered to be the best training center amongst other training centers (Red Flag/USA, Maple Flag/Canada) since it provides an interactive environment, has no restrictions in the airfield, develops scenarios in line with the participant countries requests, and arranges missions accordingly with the training needs of the participants.

- A simulated "training environment" imitating virtual operational environment to train combat ready personnel;

- The fighter pilots the opportunity to apply their own tactics in multi-aircraft missions;

- A forum enabling exchange of ideas and lessons learned.

Besides, it is aimed to train the participants as they fight on various mission types and train them how to survive, and maintain their combat readiness.

Building reputation in the international arena, Anatolian Eagle Training increases the training level of the Turkish Armed Forces units as well:

- It is the only environment where Land, Naval, Air and Special Forces and Cyprus Turkish Forces Command participate a joint training;

- It provides an international training environment to display our training level and capability to other participant countries;

- Participants at every level learn how to fight in joint multi-aircraft operation and exchange experiences;

- Lessons are learned in a synergic environment and standard implementing procedures are derived at the end of the training.

At Anatolian Eagle Training, the blue forces, within the constraints of a scenario, attacks red enemy region, protected by airborne and ground based assets. All aircraft airborne, all threat systems on the ground, and datalink and vocal communication are tracked, and assessed by Anatolian Eagle operations center. 

In the first week every day two missions were flown from Monday to Thursday with one morning wave and an afternoon wave, each with up to 60 aircraft involved in the exercise. On Friday there was only one mission in the morning. The second week from Monday to Wednesday two missions were flown each day and on Thursday one wave in the morning. A total of 16 combined air operation (COMAO) missions were flown throughout the exercise (all were successfully completed). Air refueling and also tactical transport with C-130 Hercules and CASA 235s was provided by the Turkish Air Force. On CSAR standby for search and rescue flight was 135 Filo flying with the Eurocopter AS532UL. AE2014/2 consisted of a Blue (friendly) Force achieving certain objectives and a Red (enemy) Force trying to stop them. 132 Filo with their F-16s from Akinci AB played in the Red Force "enemy" role.

Israeli units deploy regularly to Turkey including participation in Anatolian Eagle. The opportunity to meet and exercise with other Air Forces and availability of a lot a free air space is ideal for the IASF. In AE-08/3 two squadrons were present with five aircraft each. Four in each wave and a single reserve.

The Israeli F-15 detachment consisted of four F-15D from the 106 'The Second Baz squadron' also known as the 'Spearhaed' squadron and a single F-15C in the markings of 133 'The Knights of the Double Tail' squadron. Remarkable as the F-15Cs used to be with 106 squadron. The F-15C/D is named Akef(Buzzard) in the IASF, although in some publications the C/D is also referred to as Baz the name for the F-15A/B. The F-15s are in the IASF used as multirole aircraft. Present were:

Note the smiling eagle motif on a dark blue band inspired by the markings of the USAF 33rd TFW later 33rd FW from Eglin AFB. The 106 sq markings include an inverted V on the inside of the fins.

Following an idea from the 133 squadron commander from 1981 individual names were painted in blue on the Eegle radomes of both squadrons. Single words on the single seaters and on the twin seaters have two word names. With one exception F-15C 832 named 6th of June. Due to technical problems and the interchange ability of radomes between aircraft, it was decided in circa 1991 to apply the names on the fuselage aft of the radome. The F-15 fleet has gone trough a AUP (Avionics Upgrade Programme) upgrade by IASF engineers in co-operation with Elbit systems. Work begun in 1995 and the first upgraded aircraft was rolled out at Tel Nof in August 1998.

Five F-16D Block 40 were participating from 105 'Scorpion' squadron based at Hatzor. Is operating the F-16 since 1992 initially with a mix of 14 F-16Cs and 14 F-16Ds. Since December 2004 became an Homogenous F-16D Barak 2 (lightning 2, the Barak 1 is the F-16C/D Block 30) outfit when the single seaters were transferred to 101 'First Fighter' squadron in return receiving the duals of that squadron. On the right intake pylon the F-16s carry a Rafael Litening targeting pod. With this pod the crew is able to detect. recognize, identify, track and engage ground targets in day, night and under adverse weather conditions. The targets can be designated by laser for attack by precision guided munitions on board or by other aircraft.Notable is a trend that the Israelis apparently wish to have a second crew member. At AE-08/3 they used two-seaters the recently delivered F-16Is are all twin-seaters.