Turkish Armed Forces Winter Exercise (2025)

Turkish Armed Forces Winter Exercise-2025 is an international military exercise being conducted from 20 to 7 February 2025 in the Kars province in eastern Türkiye. It is carried out with the participation of military units from 19 different countries alongside Türkiye. The exercise is organized by the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) to test military unit operational capabilities under severe winter conditions and to strengthen international military cooperation.

Turkish Armed Forces 2025 Winter Exercise, Kars – Anadolu Agency

General Information

The exercise is conducted under the command of the 3rd Army Command and the operational control of the 9th Army Corps. The exercise area is the Martyr Istihkam Non-Commissioned Officer Senior Staff Sergeant İlhan Hamlı Firing and Training Area. In addition to 12,000 Turkish military personnel, a total of 199 foreign military personnel from USA, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Italy, Kosovo, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, France, the United Kingdom, Libya, Mongolia, Niger, Tajikistan and Jordan are participating. The total number of participating personnel is 12,199.

Objective and Scope

The exercise encompasses various training and maneuvers aimed at conducting military operations under winter conditions. Its objectives are:

• Ensure cooperation and coordination during joint and combined operations,
• Test the combat capabilities of military units under deep snow and low temperatures,
• Improve fire and maneuver synchronization,
• Evaluate shelter, supply and maintenance procedures under winter conditions,
• Ensure the operation of command and control systems under winter conditions.

Turkish Armed Forces 2025 Winter Exercise, Kars – Anadolu Agency

Exercise Content and Activities

Throughout the exercise, various military training and operational drills are conducted. The training and operations include:

Air and Ground Operations

• Helicopter-supported air assault operations,
• Infiltration operations conducted by special forces,
• Cave destruction operations against designated targets,
• Engagement of designated targets by artillery units and tanks using Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs),
• Destruction of strategic targets using the Bayraktar TB2 UAV.

Search and Rescue Operations

• Rescue of personnel buried under avalanches by the Natural Disaster Search and Rescue Battalion,
• Training supported by search and rescue dogs.

Military Equipment and Systems

• Testing of the insubstantial ZMA-X armored combat vehicle developed by ASELSAN,
• Field trials of the modernized ZMA-15 armored combat vehicle,
• Use of the Air Defense Early Warning and Command and Control System (HERİKKS),
• Precise shooting by special units using the KN-12 sniper rifle,
• Field deployment of the KARGU kamikaze UAV system, Serçe and Togan mini UAVs,
• Neutralization of targets using Cirit and UMTAS missiles by maneuvering behind tank formations,
• Use of mine-resistant recovery vehicles to test mobility capabilities in mine-laden terrain.

The integration of systems used during the exercise, coordination processes between units, and the adaptation of units under harsh weather conditions are evaluated to assess the effectiveness of military cooperation and tactical applications in the field.

Distinguished Observer Day

Distinguished Observer Day will be held on 5 February 2025 and is one of the important phases of the exercise. Senior military officials from Türkiye and participating countries will be able to directly observe activities conducted in the field.

During the event, observers will attend briefings held at the exercise area to gain technical details about the conducted operations and will have the opportunity to assess the overall success of the exercise by examining field activities on-site.