The Egyptian armed forces successfully concluded a large-scale joint military exercise, titled “Badr 2026,” which was held east of the Suez Canal from April 26 to 30, 2026.
This tactical operation was designed to enhance operational readiness and ensure seamless coordination among the various branches of the military. On Wednesday, April 29, Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, Egypt’s Minister of Defence and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, oversaw the main phase of the exercise conducted by units of the Third Field Army. The drills were attended by high-ranking officials, including Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, along with local representatives and members of parliament, highlighting the broader national strategy to maintain combat effectiveness and strengthen the country’s defensive units.
The main phase of the exercise involved a sophisticated joint combat scenario that integrated multiple military services into a single coordinated operation. During the drills, the air force performed reconnaissance and support missions while air defense and artillery units simulated the neutralization of enemy positions to disrupt potential reinforcements. Simultaneously, armored and mechanized units advanced to breach simulated defensive lines, receiving critical support from attack helicopters and specialized anti-tank missile teams. To further test inter-service coordination in realistic combat conditions, special forces—including paratroopers and commandos—executed airborne assaults and targeted raids on designated objectives.
Major General Ahmed Mahdi Sarhan, Commander of the Third Field Army, noted that participating units demonstrated maximum effort in executing their missions and maintaining readiness throughout the five-day event. At the conclusion of the drills, the Defence Minister praised the high level of performance displayed by the forces and conveyed greetings from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The exercise serves as a significant benchmark for Egypt’s ongoing military modernization and its commitment to ensuring its forces are prepared for complex, multi-domain engagements.
MK/AK/Sf/lb/abj/APA