Kuwait - KUNA
Lt Col Mohammad Al-Kandari, chief of Kuwait's miliatary joint operations and head of the committee tasked with preparing for Eagle Resolve 2015, said Tuesday that the military exercise is the biggest regionally and internationally.
Addressing the meeting on the exercise, Al-Kandari said that Eagle Resolve 2015 aims at enhancing defense cooperation among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and brotherly and friendly countries.
It is also aimed at exchanging expertise in managing joint military operations in coordination with the US Central Command.
"Kuwait will host Eagle Resolve 2015 exercise next March in which more than 30 Arab and foreign countries are expected to participate," he added.
"The US, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, France, Italy, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Japan and Argentina have all confirmed that they would take part in the exercise," he stressed.
He added that Eagle Resolve 2015 exercise will be held on Kuwaiti soil, territorial waters as well as a host of territories designed for training accross GCC countries.
The exercise, in its 13th edition, will be conducted through three phases, he said, adding that the event is a strategic gain to Kuwait on both the regional and international levels.
Kuwait has participated in all editions of the exercise since it started in 2000 in Bahrain, and this reflects the "professional standard of Kuwait's Armed Forces," he said.
He also commended the role of both the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah and the Supreme Command of Kuwaiti Armed Forces in facilitating all obstacles.
For his part, the Head of the US Military Cooperation Office Gen Rick Matson stressed the importance of the exercise, saying it is a chance to strengthen mutual relations and to boost military capabilities.
Furthermore, Britain's representative in the exercise said that his country looks forward to working with Kuwait along with its allies through the event.
Squads from the Fire Services Directorate and the Ministry of Interior are also scheduled to take part in the operation.
The event is also set to receive coverage by the local media, as the head of planning department at Ministry of Information Hamoud Al-Khaldi said.
Teams from the state Kuwait TV and Radio are ready to cover and transmit the event, he said.