Türkiye Hosts Multinational Rescue Drill in Konya With US and Regional Partners

By Bosphorus News Defense Desk

On April 6, Türkiye launched the multinational "Anadolu Ankası-2026" exercise at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command in Konya, with activities scheduled to run through April 17, according to the Ministry of National Defence.

The exercise is structured around personnel recovery and combat search-and-rescue operations, aimed at testing command and control processes while training units for operations in contested environments.

According to the ministry, units from the Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Special Forces Command and Gendarmerie General Command are taking part, reflecting a joint operations framework across multiple branches.

The exercise includes active participation from the United States, Azerbaijan, Poland and Slovakia, while Germany, Belarus, Georgia, Croatia, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Oman and Jordan are attending as observers.

Recent footage released by the ministry showed helicopter-based infiltration, rapid fast-rope insertion, personnel evacuation and the neutralization of a simulated armed group in an urban environment, concluding with the capture of a target alive as part of the scenario.

Officials did not provide further technical details on the air platforms or specific units involved, but the structure of the drills points to a focus on close-quarters operations and coordinated extraction missions.

The Konya-based drills also sit within a broader shift in Türkiye's force structure toward mobility and rapid deployment. As detailed in Bosphorus News coverage, Ankara is moving to expand its commando brigade capacity, pointing to a wider emphasis on highly mobile ground units.

That trajectory aligns with Türkiye's expanding role inside NATO's high-readiness framework. As outlined in separate Bosphorus News reporting, Ankara is set to assume command of the alliance's Allied Reaction Force from 2028 through its Istanbul-based 3rd Corps.

The exercise highlights a capability set built around rapid insertion, joint coordination and multinational interoperability, placing Türkiye at the centre of a training environment focused on fast-response operations and allied coordination.