The Reconnaissance Company from the Turkish Land Forces 66th Mechanised Brigade have been in the Drawsko Pomorskie Training area in Poland to participate in exercise Brilliant Jump 2024, part of the Steadfast Defender exercise series. Around 40 military personnel and military assets from the unit based in Çorlu, Türkiye arrived in Szczecin via air and land on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.
Turkey is not only supporting exercise Brilliant Jump 24 but after the exercise they will also deploy further east into Poland to take part in Polish-led exercise Dragon 24, once again demonstrating their ability and willingness to deploy and sustain forces across long distances in a complex and demanding scenario. This is not the first time Turkey has been involved in the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). In 2021, Turkish HRF Corps and Mechanised Infantry played a leading role in the VJTF.
“Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 is a valuable opportunity to test and improve our capabilities and to enhance interoperability. In this vein, we are ready to share our knowledge, expertise and best practices with our Allies and Partners, and to cooperate with them in our joint efforts,” said Turkish Reconnaissance Company Commander Captain Erat.
The 66th Mechanised Brigade is a mechanised brigade of the Turkish Army 3rd Corps and the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps — Turkey (NRDC-T). The 3rd Corps received in 2001 orders from the General Staff for its transformation into a NATO Response Force Corps, which is a high-readiness, joint, multinational force that is technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable. The process was completed in 2003, and it became one of the seven dedicated units of NATO. As a NATO Rapidly Deployable Corps, it is responsible to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
