By Sarah Saad
Bright Star 2023, a joint military exercise that involves 8,000 troops from 34 countries, kickstarted at the Mohammed Najib Military Base, with the participation of a number of police elements, legal experts from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The exercise, which runs from 31 August to 14 September, aims to enhance military cooperation and combat common threats and risks, according to an army statement.
Bright Star is one of the largest and oldest joint military exercises in the world, dating back to October 1980. It is held in Egypt every two years with the participation of the United States and other countries.
The exercise provides an opportunity for the participating nations to exchange expertise and learn about the latest weapons and military equipment. It also covers various scenarios of conventional and irregular warfare, including security and counter-terrorism operations.
The exercise involves ground forces, infantry, armored vehicles, artillery units, navy, air force, and special operations forces from the Egyptian and US sides, as well as other countries. The Thunderbolt and Paratroopers units also take part in the exercise.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the exercises, Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces Training Authority Lt General Osama Naga conveyed the greetings of Minister of Defense and Ministry Production Mohamed Zaki and Chief of Staff Osama Askar to the participating troops, noting that the Egyptian-US exercises are considered the highest of its kind in the region.
On his part, an American commander thanked the Egyptian Armed Forces for hosting the military exercise “Bright Star 2023”, asserting that such exercises would enhance joint capabilities to solve the problems and challenges facing the region.
He voiced hope over continuing and developing the training over the coming years to bolster ties among the participating countries.
The Bright Star exercise reflects Egypt’s strategic and security relations with the US and other countries. It also showcases Egypt’s ability to combine different military doctrines from the Eastern and Western schools of combat.
The US and NATO countries consider Bright Star an essential exercise for them, as it gives them experience in fighting in desert areas. Egypt and many other countries also benefit from gaining new knowledge of Western weapons and tactics.
