Egypt's Army Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid hailed on Thursday the combat readiness of the participating personnel in the Egyptian-Sudanese ‘Nile Eagles 1' military drill that qualifies them to carry out all the missions that may be assigned to them under various circumstances. Farid's remarks came in his speech, issued in a video statement on Thursday by Egypt's official military spokesperson, during his attendance at the main phase of the air forces' drill which has been ongoing since the beginning of the week in Sudan. The joint training, which runs until 26 November, is being conducted between the two neighbouring countries for the first time. It takes place in one of the Sudanese air bases and involves the Egyptian special forces ‘Thunderbolt'. Farid said that the training can be evaluated as an advanced, sophisticated, professional, and integrated one in terms of coordination, planning, management, and leadership. "It is a dear day to our souls because of the meanings and indications it carries that affirm the unity of purpose, destiny, will, and vision for joint action. Where we observe and reap today the outcomes of cooperation and coordination in launching a new and qualitative stage in the history of joint military action," Farid said in his speech during the launch of the main phase of the drill. The first stages of the joint exercise began with theoretical and practical lectures that aimed to unify the required concepts and enhance personnel's skills to manage joint air operations with high competence, the Egyptian Army spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said in an earlier statement. “The exercise seeks to achieve the maximum possible benefit for the participating personnel to manage air operations,” El-Refaie added. The exercise also seeks to “measure the degree of preparedness of the forces to conduct joint operations on targets, through following the most appropriate tactics, to accomplish missions under different circumstances,” he added. Also, many joint defensive and offensive sorties have been conducted to attack hostile targets and protect other vital targets, with the participation of multi-tasking fighter jets. Farid added that the rapid development in the nature of threats and challenges facing the Egyptian and Sudanese national security "increases the necessity and imperative of not only cooperation but also strategic coordination" between the two countries. From his side, the Sudanese Chief of Staff praised Farid's visit, which he said is a continuation of the distinguished relations between the Egyptian and Sudanese armed forces, the Egyptian statement said. He also expressed his aspiration for the coming stage to witness more cooperation and mutual integration, the statement noted.
