Egypt’s Armed Forces announced on Saturday the details of the Bright Star 2023, a joint military exercise that involves 8,000 troops from 34 countries, to be held at the Mohammed Najib Military Base.
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, Daily News Egypt reported.
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.
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.
