22.08.2026 12:00
As military tension rises in the region following Israel's attacks on Syria, students from the National Defense University's Army War College staged a show of force during the Year-End Practical Training held in Urla, Izmir.
As geopolitical tensions escalate in the region following Israel's attacks on Syria, students of the National Defense University's Military Academy staged a show of force in Urla, Izmir. 3,200 cadets, challenging harsh conditions in the Year-End Practical Training, instilled confidence in friends and fear in enemies.
In an era of rapidly changing regional crises and warfare technologies, students of the National Defense University (NDU) Military Academy are undergoing a relentless training process at the Year-End Practical Military Training (ATAT) held in the Urla district of Izmir. The future officers are preparing to add strength to the Turkish Armed Forces by pushing their physical and mental limits in the most challenging terrain conditions.
GUEST STUDENTS FROM 32 FRIENDLY AND BROTHERLY COUNTRIES ALSO PARTICIPATED
The ATAT activities, carried out with the participation of 3,200 cadets throughout the summer period, also host international military solidarity. This year, 350 guest military students from 32 friendly and brotherly countries participated in the exercise program, getting the opportunity to train shoulder-to-shoulder with Turkish cadets. In the training schedule, students transitioning from the preparatory class to the 1st grade remain in the field for 6 weeks without interruption, while cadets advancing to upper classes stay for 7 weeks.
HYBRID AND CONVENTIONAL WARFARE TRAINING DAY AND NIGHT
Within the scope of the exercise conducted in the challenging geography of Urla, cadets are being instilled with a multifaceted military discipline. The critical activities included in the training program are listed as follows:
- SURVIVAL AND ENDURANCE MARCHES: A 2-night, 3-day survival training on Hekim Island, and heavy resistance marches ranging from 8 to 32 kilometers.
- TACTICAL INFILTRATION AND HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT: Day and night firing, infiltration course crossings, combat formations, swimming, and hand-to-hand combat techniques.
- ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND SPECIAL FORCES EQUIPMENT: Drone usage, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) disposal and METI team introduction, CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) training, and the use of equipment in the Special Forces Command inventory.
- AMPHIBIOUS AND SEARCH-AND-RESCUE ACTIVITIES: Boat operations, helicopter direction, mounting and dismounting armored vehicles, and basic mountaineering training.
"FROM METE KHAN TO ATATURK..."
The Team Commander, providing information about the field training, emphasized that the cadets' ability to make correct decisions under crisis and stress is being tested: "Here, while training the commanders of the future, we perfectly blend theoretical lessons with practical application in the field. Our cadets learn the art of war day and night in the most challenging terrain conditions. We have integrated all contemporary military requirements, from operations in hybrid environments to conventional warfare, into our training programs. Our goal is to train officers whose path is the path of Turkish heroism, from Mete Khan to Alparslan, from Fatih Sultan Mehmet to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk."
"WE WILL LEAD OUR SOLDIERS IN THE MOST CORRECT WAY"
A cadet, conveying the difficulty and gains of the training, noted that the bond of comradeship is strengthened under harsh weather and terrain conditions: "While struggling with the heat, sleeplessness, and physical fatigue, what we truly learn is to remain calm in a crisis. My first and most fundamental goal in the future is to wear that honorable rank of second lieutenant and, when I join my unit, to lead the soldiers entrusted to me in the most correct way possible. Adding strength to the Turkish army as a well-equipped officer who follows changing warfare principles and technologies is my greatest aspiration."