The Nusret-2026 Invitation Exercise, hosted by Türkiye and involving naval and air assets from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the Turkish Coast Guard Command, is underway in the Gulf of Izmir in western Türkiye and off Karadeniz Ereğli in the north, with observers from various countries taking part.
Distinguished visitors day activities were held off the Foça district of Izmir as part of the exercise, conducted by the Mine Fleet Command under the Turkish Naval Forces Command.
Turkish Naval Forces Commander Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu and Syrian Naval Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Saud were welcomed aboard the TCG Salihreis, the exercise's flagship.
Under one exercise scenario performed on Tuesday, the patrol ship TCG Karabiga deployed a Malaman bottom mine. The mine was detected by the minehunter TCG Anamur using a remotely operated underwater vehicle and subsequently neutralized by mine warfare divers aboard the TCG Amasra.
In addition to naval assets, mine countermeasures operations in very shallow waters were conducted at Ilıksu Beach in northern Türkiye’s Zonguldak with the participation of 59 personnel from Türkiye, the U.S., Belgium, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Romania and Oman.
As part of the Tactical Claw operation, a mine that had become detached from its mooring and was drifting uncontrollably on the sea surface was neutralized by Underwater Defense (SAS) commandos deployed to the area by helicopter. The Malaman bottom mine used in the exercise can distinguish between friendly and hostile assets using intelligent algorithms. It can also classify the type of target vessel and detonate at the most critical point. Featuring a specialized outer coating that allows it to blend into rocky and sandy seabeds, as well as a low radar and sonar signature that makes it difficult to detect, the mine can neutralize targets through underwater pressure waves and shock effects generated by its high-explosive warhead, manufactured by state-run defense company Machinery and Chemical Industry Inc. (MKE).
Malaman operates as a smart bottom mine and can be deployed from surface vessels, submarines, aircraft and unmanned platforms.
The exercise also involved four minehunters, one command-and-control ship, one frigate, one landing ship, one corvette, one patrol ship, two helicopters, one underwater defense team, one team operating lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles and one unmanned aerial vehicle from the Naval Forces Command. The Air Force Command contributed two F-16 fighter jets, while the Coast Guard Command deployed three coast guard boats.
The exercise included one minehunter each from Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece and Türkiye, all participating in NATO's Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2.
Assets from the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group also took part, including one command-and-control ship and one minehunter from Bulgaria, one minesweeper from Romania and one minehunter from Türkiye. The exercise also brought together 89 foreign participants, 32 observers and 46 explosive ordnance reconnaissance and disposal personnel from the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Romania, Oman, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Morocco, France, Iraq, Cameroon, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Ukraine and Jordan. The exercise will conclude on Oct. 16.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the exercise, Adm. Tatlıoğlu said the Turkish Navy is among the world's most experienced naval forces in mine warfare. He said the Nusret minelayer, after which the exercise was named, changed the course of history in 1915 by laying 26 mines in the Çanakkale Strait during World War I. Tatlıoğlu said the Nusret minelayer's success demonstrated that mines can serve as a significant force multiplier capable of producing strategic results when deployed with proper planning, timing and determination. Although technology and operational methods have changed, mine warfare continues to play a crucial role in naval operations, Tatlıoğlu said, adding that the Turkish Navy aims to combine the Nusret minelayer's historic legacy with modern technology to prepare for future threats.
Tatlıoğlu said the exercise aims to improve the planning, execution and evaluation capabilities of participating units and commands in mine warfare, while also enhancing cooperation and interoperability between the Turkish Navy and friendly and allied naval forces.
Emphasizing the Turkish Navy's experience in mine warfare, he said: "The Turkish Navy is one of the most experienced naval forces in the world in mine warfare. As you know, hundreds of mines were laid in the Black Sea due to the Russia-Ukraine war. We detect and neutralize mines that drift toward our shores from those laid in the Black Sea. At the same time, we detect and neutralize kamikaze unmanned marine vehicles, unmanned surface vehicles and all explosives that have gone out of control in the Black Sea. We do the same with unmanned aerial vehicles that lose control and fall into the sea, just as we do with mines that drift toward our shores. The Turkish navy is among the world's best and most experienced naval forces in mine warfare."
Tatlıoğlu said the seas are vital routes for global trade and energy transportation. He warned that mine threats emerging at strategic chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could disrupt maritime traffic, energy supplies and trade flows, adversely affecting global economic stability.
Unmanned marine vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated systems offer significant opportunities to mitigate these risks, Tatlıoğlu said. He added that supporting the next-generation minehunter concept with unmanned systems is important for reducing personnel exposure in hazardous areas and carrying out missions more safely and effectively.
Tatlıoğlu said future mine warfare would be shaped by an integrated operational approach in which manned platforms and unmanned systems complement one another, while advanced sensors and data are used effectively.
He emphasized that the Turkish navy has strong capabilities in both operating and manufacturing unmanned systems.
Developments in Türkiye and around the world highlight the importance of maintaining a technologically advanced, powerful and effective naval force, Tatlıoğlu said. He added that the Turkish navy continues to develop its capabilities to protect Türkiye's maritime rights and interests, contribute to the security of maritime transportation and fulfill its national and international missions.