Kuwaiti Navy and ships from the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) concluded strategic military exercises Sunday, the first of their kind in the Gulf region.
The joint exercises were part of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) and a security agreement with the NATO on information exchange.
The six-day drills included fast inshore attack training, anti-piracy demonstration, an air defense exercise, and a demonstration of firepower.
Kuwaiti Navy illustrated acute ability in dealing with high-tech weaponry structure and modern military sciences of NATO forces, Kuwait's official KUNA news agency said, quoting Sheikh Thamer Ali Al-Sabah, the vice president of the National Security Bureau.
Kuwait's military speedboats and F-18 jetfighters engaged with the American destroyer USS The Sullivans, German frigate FGS Karlsruhe, as well as a number of military helicopters.
Sheikh Thamer said the joint military exercises were aimed at protecting the international community, the Middle East region in particular, from extremism, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), nuclear threat, and regional and international conflicts.
He highlighted the importance of such drills in light of major threats of terrorist groups and to combat drug trafficking, mainly in Gulf waters.
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