ANKARA

Türkiye carried out Weapons Free-2023 activity, which aims to provide deterrence by demonstrating the firepower of the Turkish Armed Forces.

The activity began on Oct. 10 in the Polatli province of the capital Ankara.

National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, along with senior commanders, witnessed the activity, which has been held every year since 2014.

"Today, I would especially like to express my great pleasure and pride in witnessing the weapon systems that constitute the overwhelming firepower of our Turkish Armed Forces and the skill of our heroic personnel in using them," Guler said at the end of the activity.

The geography and the current defense and security environment require the Turkish Armed Forces to be a deterrent force that will eliminate the threats, he added.

"We continue our national and international exercises uninterruptedly to keep the strength of our army alive and to improve the qualifications of our personnel in accordance with the conditions of the age and the changing concept of the combat environment," the minister stressed.

A total of 63 domestic and international exercises have been carried out in the last year, and 40 exercises are planned to be carried out by the end of the year, Guler said.

"With these exercises, we are increasing the effectiveness and deterrence of our heroic army on land, at sea and in the air day by day.

"...Today, we are proud to have become one of the world's leading armies with its highly qualified personnel and high-tech weapon systems," he added.

The aim of the activity is to introduce the weapons and systems in the Turkish Armed Forces' inventory, to show the effect of the weapons on the target, and also to improve the coordination between the forces.

A total of 50 weapons and systems, including Bayraktar Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicle, and Turkish defense company STM's Kargu drones, were exhibited during the activity.

Personnel from the Land Forces Command, Naval Forces Command, Air Forces Command and General Staff Special Forces Command took part in the exhibition area and in the execution of the firing.