Egypt Daily News – Lieutenant General Abdel Meguid Sakkar, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production, recently oversaw the “Deterrence 2024″drills in the Mediterranean operational theater.
This drill featured live ammunition and the participation of various branches and specialized departments within the Armed Forces, attended by key military leaders including Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
The training began with a presentation on the operational strategic concept, highlighting the activities conducted aboard the helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser. The exercise unfolded in several phases:
- Defensive Operations: The first phase focused on organizing defenses for joint naval units against potential threats, involving coordination with the Air Force and Air Defense. Air protection aircraft engaged hostile aerial targets, while chemical warfare units conducted decontamination procedures in the event of chemical weapon use.
- Repelling Attacks: Air defense units countered an enemy aerial attack by deploying “Avenger” missiles, supported by the “Suleiman Ezzat” missile boats. Naval special forces executed boarding procedures on a suspected non-compliant vessel, supported by a Kamov attack helicopter.
- Search and Rescue: The Air Force and naval units teamed up for search and rescue efforts, successfully retrieving an injured person via an “Agusta” helicopter and transporting them to a field hospital aboard the Gamal Abdel Nasser.
- Engagement of Hostile Targets: The second phase involved launching Harpoon missiles to destroy significant enemy naval targets concurrently with air strikes from fighter jets. Naval units engaged enemy surface targets with artillery fire and reconnaissance missions were conducted by submarines, complemented by Apache airstrikes.
- Coastal Operations: In the third phase, coastal air defense systems engaged hostile aerial targets, successfully neutralizing threats. Special forces conducted maritime landings on the coast to secure a target area in collaboration with Northern Military Region forces.
The exercise concluded with General Sakkar expressing President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s appreciation for the participants, commending their performance and readiness to protect Egypt’s strategic interests.
The training activity demonstrated the Armed Forces’ high combat efficiency and commitment to safeguarding the nation’s resources and security across all fronts.
