Major General Dr. Samir Farag 🇪🇬

 

 

The bright star and strength of the Egyptian army

Major General Dr. Samir Farag

 Follow-up / Adel Shalaby 

Yesterday, Wednesday, September 10, the final phase of the Bright Star military exercises concluded. The 19th edition of the exercise, which began on Thursday, August 28, concluded in Egypt and continued until Wednesday, September 10. Forty-three sister and friendly countries participated in this exercise, which is considered the largest land, air, and sea exercise in the Middle East, along with more than 8,000 fighters, including civilian police personnel and representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross. India, for example, participated with a force of 700 fighters.

Twenty-nine countries participated as observers, meaning high-level leaders were present without troops to monitor the latest developments in the exercise. Another 14 countries participated with their own military forces.

The training phases of this exercise were multiple, starting with lectures aimed at unifying combat concepts among the joint forces and showcasing each country's military expertise. Live ammunition shooting projects were also implemented, as were maritime inspections and chemical decontamination. In the field of air sorties, emphasis was placed on air combat operations and coordination between the air forces and the ground forces, providing them with the necessary support. Reconnaissance missions were also carried out, with an emphasis on intercepting enemy aircraft. Short tactical courses (STX) were also conducted, including countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and first aid, as well as simulating command centers (CPX) to exchange information, expertise, and decisions during various scenarios.

Workshops were also held in the field of artificial intelligence, where each country presented its approach to using artificial intelligence in battle management, a new approach introduced to these maneuvers for the first time. Focus was also placed on the use of drones in modern warfare through their various missions, whether reconnaissance operations to obtain information, suicide operations, or air operations against enemy gatherings and command centers, especially since drones have become a new form of combat. Each country presented its approach and implementation methods during the project.

Training was also provided on how to clearly apply the theories of international humanitarian law to support the obligations of the armed forces. Lectures focused on cybersecurity topics, particularly in the area of ​​use and counter-actions.

What most impressed everyone was the Egyptian Armed Forces' ability to manage and organize this exercise, particularly through the logistical aspects at the Mohamed Naguib Base, where all elements were hosted and all administrative, technical, and operational requirements were met. At the end of the exercise, the US Training Director, General Patrick Kelly, even extended special thanks for the Egyptian administrative performance in organizing and accommodating the forces, receiving them with their weapons and equipment, and providing all necessary support throughout the training phases, especially technical support.

Looking further at the results of this year's "Bright Star" exercise, it can be said that the first element Egypt achieved was confirming to everyone that the United States still considers Egypt an important strategic partner in the region. Despite the differences in viewpoints that occurred during the previous period during the conduct of the fighting in Gaza, Egypt remains, as is clear to everyone, the United States' primary strategic partner in the region.

The second element was the appreciation the armed forces gained through this training activity. This was especially true since many countries were awaiting the American opinion, which had participated with the Egyptian armed forces, in order to gain insight into the level of competence of Egyptian soldiers and officers throughout all stages of training. I believe some countries were disappointed because the American report after the conclusion of these exercises confirmed that they had observed a professional force in the Egyptian army, especially among the leaders, officers, and soldiers. This was clearly evident in the live ammunition shooting, which was praised by the heads of delegations during the final phase of the training. The prevailing sentiment was that the Egyptian army is a professional army.

The commendation also included the outstanding level of Egyptian commanders and officers, as the joint command centers brought together Egyptian commanders and officers alongside American, foreign, and other international officers, who exchanged tasks and combat orders during the training, making it impossible to distinguish between Egyptian, American, or foreign officers.

The participation of Arab forces in this project was a great opportunity to unify the combat and military concepts between the Egyptian and Arab armed forces. The free fall parachute jumping exercise by the participating countries over the Giza Pyramids was so impressive that photos of the activity, featuring all the jumpers holding their flags over the Giza Pyramids, appeared in the military magazines of these countries.

It remains to be seen that the Egyptian Armed Forces have successfully identified new forms and patterns of modern operations, such as artificial intelligence, the use of drones, and cybersecurity operations. This undoubtedly instilled great confidence in the Egyptian fighter, who proved a strong competitor to American and foreign officers and soldiers. This was clearly evident in the live-fire exercise, where both the American and Egyptian sides received the highest ratings during this exercise.

In conclusion, we say that these exercises are a message, first and foremost, to the great Egyptian people, to reassure them that we have a great army, and secondly, a message to deter anyone who would dare to threaten Egypt's national security.