Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey and the United States have begun a major air
combat exercise near Iran.

On March 5, the air forces of Turkey and the United States began
Anatolian Falcon 2012, designed to enhance combat skills and
interoperability within NATO. Officials said Falcon did not include any
other militaries and was part of bilateral military cooperation between
Ankara and Washington.

This marked the first major air combat exercise between Ankara and Washington in nearly three years. In September 2010, the U.S. Air Force and
other NATO allies withdrew from Anatolian Eagle when Turkey denied Israel’s
participation. Two months later, Ankara held its first air combat exercise
with China, which was allowed to inspect Turkey’s F-16 multi-role fighter
fleet.

“This is an excellent opportunity to exercise our military
interoperability as we pursue together regional peace and stability,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Murray, commander of the 480th Fighter Squadron, said.

Officials said Falcon would last until March 15 and focus on joint
training missions on central Turkey near the border with Iran. They said nearly 400 sorties were planned and meant to simulate a range of combat scenarios.

“There are a lot of similarities in our tactics and the general idea of
how we operate,” Capt. John Mann, a 480th Fighter Squadron pilot, said. “But with large-force employments, we have to use different techniques, coordination efforts or other frequencies.”

Officials said Falcon was meant to improve interoperability between the
Turkish and U.S. air forces. They said the F-16s were used in the
large-scale maneuvers, which included at least 20 combat aircraft.

The 480th Fighter Squadron contributed 15 aircraft as well as 250
support staff for the exercise. Officials said Falcon, based in the
Turkish Air Force at Konya, allowed for large-force deployment as well as
realistic missions.

“This training forces us to integrate with different aircraft from
another country on unfamiliar terrain, which is what you would probably see
in combat anyway,” U.S. Air Force Maj. Michael Clapper said. “As our
strengths continue to grow, so should the scale and complexity of each
scenario.”

  400 sorties planned, 480th Fighter Squadron, Anatolian Falcon 2012, Capt. John Mann, F-16 multi-role fighter, Konya air base, Lt. Col. Paul Murray, Turkey, Turkey conduct air combat exercise near Iran border, U.S.