By Bosphorus News Defense Desk
Türkiye will launch Denizkurdu-I/2026 on Sept. 20 across the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, bringing naval, land, air and coast guard elements into a six-day exercise as Turkish forces continue a series of drills and deployments abroad.
The Ministry of National Defence said the exercise will include operational readiness training, live-weapons training and Distinguished Observer Day activities. Naval Forces Command units will form the core of Denizkurdu-I, joined by elements from the Land Forces Command, Air Force Command and Coast Guard Command.
The ministry's Sept. 17 weekly briefing had initially given Sept. 20-24 for the exercise and described its objectives as improving decision-making in a multi-threat environment and testing joint interoperability procedures. A dedicated exercise notice issued on Sept. 18 moved the end date to Sept. 25. The ministry did not explain the change.
The earlier briefing placed Distinguished Observer Day on Sept. 24 aboard TCG Anadolu in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Exercises stretch from Portugal to Central Asia
Denizkurdu begins with Turkish personnel already taking part in several exercises outside the country.
REPMUS, an exercise centered on unmanned maritime systems, began in Portugal on Aug. 31 and runs until Sept. 25. Sonsuz Kardeşlik-V special forces training, which opened in Uzbekistan on Sept. 14, ends the same day.
Romania is hosting two further activities. Burebista live air training began on Sept. 11 and continues through Sept. 25, while Eastern Shield air and drone defense training, which started on Sept. 16, runs until Oct. 2.
Two maritime exercises concluded on Sept. 18. Phoenix Express-2026 was held in the central Mediterranean under the coordination of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and hosted by Tunisia. Turkish naval units trained in maritime security, protection of ports and maritime facilities, and cooperation and guidance for maritime transportation.
Triton-2026, hosted by Bulgaria in the western Black Sea, involved Turkish naval units in mine warfare training.
The next round begins on Sept. 21.
Italy will host Dynamic Guard-II/2026 in the central Mediterranean through Sept. 25. The exercise is focused on electronic warfare, with the Turkish Navy taking part through a unit assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2).
Türkiye will also send General Staff, Land Forces, Naval Forces and Air Force elements to Azerbaijan for Birliğin Gücü-2026 from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1. The exercise will train participating forces against hybrid threats and in the planning and execution of joint operations.
NATO's Short Notice Exercise (SNEX) follows on Sept. 24-25, with Türkiye participating from permanent locations.
Warships remain on separate missions
The naval schedule extends beyond the exercise areas.
TCG Burgazada joined SNMG2 on Sept. 18 for a deployment running through Nov. 4.
TCG Kemalreis, deployed in support of the Somali Naval Task Group and logistics transport to Somalia, is due to call at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia between Sept. 20 and 24 during its return voyage.
Naval Academy cadets completed an Aksaz-Marmaris port visit aboard TCG Osmangazi on Sept. 18 as part of their advanced sea training.
Savarona is due at Heybeliada on Sept. 19-20 and Moda-Fenerbahçe on Sept. 26-27. TCG Edincik visited Erdek on Sept. 18 for the anniversary of the town's liberation, while TCG Rüzgâr is due at Bozcaada on Sept. 20 for anniversary events there.
The Air Force also has public demonstration teams operating at home and abroad this weekend. The Turkish Stars are flying at the Sivrihisar Air Shows on Sept. 19-20, while SOLOTÜRK is taking part in the 26th NATO Days and 17th Czech Air Force Days in Czechia.
Command-level contacts run alongside the exercise calendar
The military activity is accompanied by a series of bilateral and NATO meetings.
Türkiye's naval staff took part in the Türkiye-Republic of Korea Naval Forces Cooperation Meeting in Korea from Sept. 14 to 18. An Air Force delegation attended the Türkiye-U.S. Air Forces Cooperation Meeting in Germany on Sept. 17-18, while Turkish naval officers participated in the Sea Breeze-2026 Naval Commanders Conference in Constanța, Romania, on the same dates.
The Naval Forces Command is also due to participate in a Submarine Commanders Conference in Canada from Sept. 21 to 23.
On Sept. 15, Türkiye's chief of general staff held a video conference with the chair of the NATO Military Committee on regional defense and security and spoke by telephone with his Saudi counterpart on bilateral relations and regional issues.
Türkiye's Land Forces commander visited Qatar on Sept. 13-14 at the invitation of his Qatari counterpart, meeting the commander of the Qatar-Türkiye Combined Joint Force and Qatar's chief of staff.
Deputy Defense Minister Salih Ayhan is in South Africa through Sept. 20 for the 2026 Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition, where the ministry said he was meeting defense-industry representatives and discussing cooperation.
The sequence continues after Denizkurdu ends. Birliğin Gücü remains under way in Azerbaijan until Oct. 1, Eastern Shield continues in Romania until Oct. 2, and TCG Burgazada stays with SNMG2 until Nov. 4.
Sources: Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence, Bosphorus News review and reporting.