President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan flew into the western city of Izmir on Thursday for the Distinguished Observer Day of Efes 2026, an international exercise where the Turkish Armed Forces showcased its abilities and the country’s defense industry demonstrated its latest locally made products.
In a speech there, Erdoğan praised the Turkish army as “an army of peace which won’t harm anyone but enemies.” He noted that Türkiye was one of the actors of a new era where new alliances are being shaped.
The exercise, named after the ancient city of Ephesus located in present-day Izmir, began on April 20 in the Doğanbey region of the city’s Seferihisar district, on the coast of the Aegean Sea, which was once a hotbed of tensions between Türkiye and Greece. It brought together 50 nations, from fellow members of NATO to Libya and Syria, the latter of which participated in the first multinational exercise since the fall of the Assad regime in 2024. It is the largest combined joint live-fire exercise of the country. Beyond it, it was an opportunity to display Türkiye’s local defense industry. The products of the booming industry, widely known across the world for its unmanned aerial vehicles, were on display in an exhibition ground next to the exercise venue. Autonomous drone swarms and carrier-launched unmanned combat vehicles were highlights of the exhibition, where officers of the countries joining the exercise admired Türkiye’s homegrown innovations.
At the center stage was Steel Dome, Türkiye’s multilayered air defense system. All elements of the system developed by Aselsan were prominently displayed at the exercise, overlooking the Aegean Sea on a thin stretch of the coast, next to a banner reading “Çelik Kubbe” (Turkish words for the system). The system brings together the long-range Siper platform alongside Hisar-A, Hisar-O and Sungur in a layered configuration designed to intercept threats ranging from cruise missiles to commercial-grade drones.
Donning a cap distributed to distinguished observers of the exercise, Erdoğan greeted the mixed audience of soldiers from around the world, which numbered around 1,300, and expressed his delight in joining them. “The Efes exercise instills confidence in our friends and disappoints those plotting against Türkiye. The exercise is being held in a land where Çaka Bey made it to the maritime history by establishing one of the most important shipyards,” Erdoğan reminded. He was referring to the legendary Seljuk commander who lived in the 11th century and ruled a vassal state of Seljuks based in Smyrna, where the modern-day Izmir is also located.
He stated that the Efes exercise, where high-tech, locally made defense industry products were utilized, was more than that, “with its planning, application, coordination of units and with the strategic mind behind it.”
“This is an example of deterrence and how maintaining peace requires good preparation, will and resolve. The Turkish army carries the memory of its nation and homeland as well as the memories and ideas of the region it is located in. The Turkish army is an army of peace, an army of calm. It is an army of stability. Throughout its history, the Turkish army never destroyed anywhere it set foot upon. On the contrary, it was repaired. Even under the most difficult circumstances, this army never hurt people except enemies, it never harmed any creature, trees or cities. It is a safety guarantee for its country and nation and guarantees peace and stability as well for the region, for the world.”
Erdoğan noted that the world was going through a sensitive period where security paradigms changed, the reputation of international law took a hit and a new security architecture was needed. “A new balance is being established, new alliances are being built, though a new global order is still absent. Our world evolves from a status quo designed by a handful of major powers to a multi-polar, multi-actor state. Türkiye is at the heart of this process. Its name comes up as one of the influential actors of the new era. In the face of pessimistic scenarios of the future, we are striving to make our country a key player in every field, particularly for the regional peace,” he said, adding that it was essential to keep the army strong and well-equipped to ensure peace and security in “a difficult region.”
“We want to boost our deterrence, strengthen our defense abilities and speed up our innovative moves in the defense industry and establish new partnerships with our friends on the basis of mutual benefit and respect. Through all these, we aim to get our country out of stormy waters and onto the coast of peace. This is what our army strives for,” he stressed.
“Türkiye will continue advocating peace and stability in the face of those investing in war and chaos. We will resolutely defend the joint values of humanity against the networks of genocide massacring children, women and the elderly, in Gaza, in Lebanon and elsewhere in our region. The history is full of examples of those who won after befriending the Turkish nation and examples of the consequences for those harboring a feud against Turks,” he added.
