Egyptian Navy participates in int'l maritime training IMX/CE23

According to a statement released by the Egyptian Armed Forces on Thursday, members of the Egyptian Navy and Navy Special Forces recently took part in the joint international maritime training exercises (IMX/CE23) in Bahrain and Jordan.

Almost 7,000 people from 50 nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, participated in the training, which took place from February 26 to March 17.

The IMX/CE23 naval training programme aimed to promote the exchange of practical maritime security experiences and identify global solutions to preserve international trade and freedom of navigation while enhancing military ties with participating nations to support regional stability initiatives against potential threats.

The ability to visit and check suspect ships as well as instruction on remotely operated marine drone systems were among the subjects covered during the course. The naval command and control centre was taken over by Egypt while the training was being conducted in Bahrain. Since the exercise's inception in 2012, the IMX/CE23 training is the exercise's eighth version.

According to the statement, the involvement of Egyptian naval forces in the training highlights the strategic collaboration and support for the development of extended military ties between the Egyptian armed forces and those of friendly and benevolent nations.

Five operational task forces, covering the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and East African coastline regions, were formed from the participating international troops and organisations. During the exercise, U.S. and international allies deployed a K1000ULE, a long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, for the first time in the Middle East.

Also, utilising a MARTAC T-38 Devil Ray unmanned surface vessel (USV), participants acted out a ship-to-shore patient transfer in the Aqaba Gulf, the first time a USV has been deployed in a medical evacuation training scenario.

According to the statement, the IMX/CE23 training is an endorsement of the strategic collaboration and support for the development of extended military ties between the Egyptian armed forces and those of friendly and benevolent nations. The drill also emphasises how crucial international collaboration is to preserving marine security and safeguarding major economic routes.