This year's Bright Star exercises, the Middle East's largest war manoeuvres, display a radical structural change, reports Amirah Ibrahim Bright Star 2007 (BS 07), the multinational military exercise, entered its second phase 4 November, with troops from 13 countries joining in the war games. The first phase of manoeuvres began on 17 October, with the arrival of troops and equipment to be positioned in the exercise theatre. At a press briefing on Thursday, Major General Abdul-Fatah Farag, Bright Star 2007's Exercise Director, said that "a total of 7,402 soldiers, 42 aircraft and 13 naval units from 13 countries were taking part. They include 3,000 troops from Egypt and 2,400 from the US." The UK, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Turkey, Pakistan, Kuwait and Yemen are also taking part, with a further eight countries sending observers. "For the participants Bright Star provides an opportunity to get acquainted with each other's equipment, tactics and training. The exercise is designed to improve readiness and interoperability and to strengthen relationships between Egypt, the US and other participating forces," said Farag, who is in charge of land, sea and air exercises. "The combined exercises include a computer- aided command, which means movements of tactical air, amphibious and special operations forces will be more limited than in previous years," revealed Farag. That many of the exercises will be computer-simulated requires fewer assets, in terms of troops and equipment, on the ground. US Captain Lance Carr says that while the US has halved its troop numbers -- "2,400 American soldiers will be there, compared to 5,000 at the last Bright Star" -- the manoeuvres remain among the "major military exercises the US army conducts, validating training and demonstrating capability to respond to various contingencies". The exercises, staged every two years, involved 30,000 soldiers in 2005 and more than 70,000 in 2001, including 23,000 US troops. This year's reduction in troop numbers, says Carr, reflects changes in the activities and the targets planned for the exercises. Planning for BS 07 began early last year and has involved up to 12 coordination conferences. "Planners from 13 countries, covering all the branches of the armed services, have attended the conferences, with approximately 300 planners at each," says Farag. Bright Star is designed to enhance military cooperation and strengthen joint commitment to regional stability and mutual interests. It seeks to improve interoperability by bridging the gap between the various participants' military doctrines as well as to allow an exchange of experience in the tactical employment of modern weapons systems and to promote troop performance during night operations. "This year experience exchange will focus on maritime tactics, anti-submarine warfare, and replenishment at sea. Troops will receive training in search and rescue operations and crisis management and on coordinating procedures to conduct relief and humanitarian assistance operations," explains Farag. This year's war games will also provide air-to-air combat training involving multiple types of aircraft, allowing participants to exchange experiences on flying safety. Since 1995 the exercises have included a major amphibious assault component. This year amphibious demonstrations have been dropped: "activities continue in accordance with agreed objectives. This year we will concentrate on enhancing the capabilities of CJTF [Combined Joint Tafk Force] staff officers in the areas of coordination and information exchange with a view to facilitate decision-making mechanisms. A major objective is to exchange and gain C3 [command, control, computers] experience in command projects and in intelligence gathering and analysis." Farag says BS 07 will encompass 131 activities during the course of the exercises. "This year sees a number of new items introduced, including practical training in relief operations and providing humanitarian assistance. Yemen and Turkey are sending troops for the first time. Twelve countries will participate in the CPX [Command Post Exercise], with a total number of 855 personnel." A new and unique exercise at BS 07 will be the train on a strategic jump after an 18-hour flight. "US-Egyptian troops will deploy from an American base in the US for a long range strategic air drop in Egypt." The Bright Star exercises have their roots in the 1979 Camp David Peace Accord. Shortly after Egypt signed the accord the US military began desert training alongside the Egyptian military. In the summer of 1980 a single service bilateral ground manoeuvre event involving ground forces from the United States and Egypt took place. In 1981 ground manoeuvres were conducted with a larger force from both countries. In 1983 the decision was made to make Bright Star a biennial event. It remained a bilateral ground force exercise until 1985, when the air forces of both the US and Egypt were added. In 1995 the exercise expanded to include troops from the United Arab Emirates, France and the United Kingdom, as well as observers from Middle East and Western countries. Bright Star grew again in 1997, when more NATO nations, including Germany, were invited to take part. By 1999 it had expanded to include more than 70,000 troops from 11 nations, adding the Netherlands, Italy, Greece and Jordan. The exercise was called off twice, first in 1991, when US and Egyptian troops were involved in liberating Kuwait, and again in 2003, as US troops invaded Iraq. Bright Star is being staged in the northern portion of the Western Desert. It will continue until 19 November.
