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- Participation as observers will help understand counter terror operations, prepare countries for full participation in future exercises, PAF says
- Multinational air exercise ACES Meet 2021-1 officially kicked off in Pakistan on Monday at Operational Air Base of Pakistan Air Force
ISLAMABAD: Around 50 officials from Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain are in Pakistan as observers at the multinational air exercise, “ACES Meet 2021-1,” which officially kicked off in Pakistan on Monday at a launch ceremony at the Operational Air Base of the Pakistan Air Force, a PAF spokesperson said.
The ACES Meet is an aerial exercise to maximize combat readiness of participating air forces through air-to-air combat training.
PAF, the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) and United States Air Force (USAF) will be participating in the exercise.
“Total 50 airforce officials are participating as observers from Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain,” a PAF spokesperson told Arab News. “The observers from Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain consist of their pilots and technical teams,” he added, saying the participation of Middle Eastern allies would provide them a better understanding of multilateral exercises, particularly in countering terrorism.
“It is especially helpful for them in counter terrorism operations, which is their main target,” he said. “Participation as observers is also helpful to prepare themselves to decide their full participation in future exercises.”
The RSAF contingent has around 180 officials, including pilots, aircraft engineers and technicians, and the USAF team comprised 70 members, the spokesperson said.
Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations) of PAF, Air Vice-Marshal Waqas Ahmed Sulehri, was the chief guest at the opening ceremony on Monday.
Addressing the exercise participants, he said this particular cycle of the ACES Meet was unique because “participating air forces bring along a vast experience of combat operations, whether in counterterrorism or composite flying domains … Therefore, this platform must be fully utilized to share the invaluable experiences for mutual benefits.”
The defense attaches of Jordan and Ƶ and the air attaché of the United States also attended Monday’s ceremony. The air drill will take place on Wednesday.