Anatolian Eagle 2023-2 | Aviation Press

10801 F-16D 5(MR)Sq Konya 2023(5) BANNER

Author: Ian French
Photographers: Ian French & Jon Astley

Anatolian Eagle is an international training exercise based at Konya Air Base in the centre of Turkey. The first exercise was held in 2001 although its roots could be linked back to the 1980s when Turkey began a huge modernisation program. Up to and including 2023 a total of 16 different countries have participated in the exercises with 3,135 aircraft and flying 25,692 sorties. The potential training area is vast and covers 50,000 square miles with a ceiling of 50,000 feet.

Anatolian Eagle and Konya Air Base have a mission statement to be the most prestigious and preferred Tactical Training Centre in the world. At the pilot level the exercise is designed to provide war time training and experience so as to improve survivability, especially in the early days of a war. In addition, the coordination and interoperability between different air forces operating different types of aircraft is improved.

The above pictures shows the five 7 Air Superiority Squadron, Flying Wing 1 Typhoons from Tamim, Qatar.

The picture above shows the three block 52 F-16Cs from 5 (Maritime Reconnaissance) Squadron, 39 Tactical Wing from Shahbaz, Pakistan. In addition, two twin seat F-16Ds participated.

The picture above shows the three serviceable block 52 F-16s from Shaheen Squadron, Al Dhafra, United Arab Emirates. A fourth aircraft, F-16E 3039, spent most of its stay in the hangar.

Other foreign participants were three Sukhoi Su-25 from Kyurdamir, Azerbaijan.

Turkish Air Force visiting participants brought F-16s from 113, 151, 152, 161, 162, 182 and 191 Filos and F-4Es from 111 Filo.

Anatolian Eagle is run on a similar basis to the Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base in the USA, with an aggressor force (the Blue Team) and a defending force (the Red Team) to simulate a war time environment.

The Blue Team (comprised of visiting units) is tasked with attacking tactical and strategic targets of the Red Team during Combined Air Operations. The Red Team (comprised of the based 132 Filo F-16s) defends with opposing combat aircraft and Surface to Air Missiles (SAM).

During the exercise, the location, positioning and flight information of participating aircraft is transferred to a Command Control Centre. Radar tracks and missile shots from the SAM systems, AWACS aircraft and other anti-aircraft systems are also transferred to the Command Control Centre. The AWACS aircraft (based 131 Filo Boeing E-7Ts & NATO Boeing E-3As) provide command and control support to the Blue Team and land based radar supports the Red Team. Air to air refueling is provided to both teams. Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) is provided by the based 135 Filo Eurocopter AS532UL Cougars & Sikorsky/TAI T-70 Blackhawks.

Aviation Press would like to thank our hosts Lt. Col. Hakan Girgin and the Turkish Air Force for their generous assistance and hospitality.

01-2524 AS532UL of 135 Filo

07-1027 F-16D of 161 Filo

13-004 E-7T of 131 Filo

73-1023 F-4E-2020 of 111 Filo

73-1027 F-4E-2020 of 111 Filo

77-0296 F-4E-2020 of 111 Filo

87-0019 F-16C of 132 Filo

89-0024 F-16C of 113 Filo

90-0022 F-16D of 182 Filo

91-0003 F-16C of 161 Filo

91-0011 & 92-0013 F-16C of 152 Filo

91-0011 F-16C of 152 Filo

91-0017 F-16C of 113 Filo

91-0024 F-16D of 132 Filo

92-0004 F-16C of 162 Filo taxiing out

92-0012 & 24 F-16D of 113 Filo on the visitors ramp

92-0023 F-16D of 132 Filo

95-104 CN235M-100 of 212 Filo visiting on 9th May

3021 F-16F from Shaheen Sq

3024 F-16F from Shaheen Sq

3024 F-16F from Shaheen Sq taxis out

3039 F-16E from Shaheen Sq receives attention in the hangar

3076 F-16E, 3021 & 3024 F-16F from Shaheen Sq

3076 F-16E from Shaheen Sq

10801 F-16D from 5(MR)Sq pulls out of its bay on the ramp

10801 F-16D from 5(MR)Sq taxiing out

10805 F-16D from 5(MR)Sq returns from a mission

10904 F-16C from 5(MR)Sq

10908 F-16C from 5(MR)Sq

10911 F-16C from 5(MR)Sq taxiing out

QA401 Typhoon T from 7Sq

QA402 Typhoon T & QA409 Typhoon from 7Sq on the ramp

QA402 Typhoon T from 7Sq taxiing out

QA402 Typhoon T from 7Sq

QA405 Typhoon from 7Sq landing

QA408 Typhoon from 7Sq taxiing out

QA409 Typhoon from 7Sq

QA409 Typhoon from 7Sq heads the Typhoon line on the ramp

09bl & 25bl Su-25 from Su-25 Esk perform a typically smoky departure

09bl Su-25 from Su-25 Esk taxiing out

09bl Su-25 from Su-25 Esk taxiing in

09bl Su-25 from Su-25 Esk having just stopped. Ground crew help the pilot.

09bl Su-25 from Su-25 Esk taxiing out

09bl Su-25 from Su-25 Esk being refueled on the ramp

25bl Su-25BM from Su-25 Esk taxiing out

25bl Su-25BM from Su-25 Esk taxiing into the ramp

25bl Su-25BM from Su-25 Esk returns from a mission

27bl Su-25 from Su-25 Esk departs for a mission fitted with a Wing Assisted Guidance Kit which provides long range and high-precision hit capability

27bl Su-25 of Su-25 Esk

77-0296 F-4E-2020 of 111 Filo

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