Sudan, Egypt hold first aerial combat exercise

The Egyptian and Sudanese air forces held their first joint aerial combat exercise during November. 

The exercise, called Nile Eagles-1, was held at Marwa Air Base in Sudan and came to its conclusion on November 26. It involved various scenarios, including planning and managing joint operations, in addition to carrying out defence and attack sorties. The event also included a special forces combat search and rescue exercise with Egyptian operators.

Sudanese GAIC FTC-2000 [Egyptian MoD]
A Sudanese Air Force Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation FTC-2000 at Marwa Air Base, Sudan, during Exercise Nile Eagles-1. Egyptian Ministry of Defense

A video of the exercise, hosted on the Egyptian armed forces spokesman’s Facebook page, showed aircraft including a Sudanese Air Force Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation FTC-2000, Egyptian Air Force MiG-29M2, Sudanese Air Force Sukhoi Su-25 and Sukhoi Su-24 fighter-bombers. An Ilyushin Il-76 transport and Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters are also visible on the video.

The Egyptian Ministry of Defense said: “[Nile Eagles-1] comes under the armed force plan to conduct joint exercises with brotherly and friendly countries… The aerial exercise is conducted in the framework of supporting the joint military cooperation between the armed forces.”