'Hasm al-Uqban', Gulf-American military drills kick off in Kuwait

The Hasm al-Uqban maneuvers will kick off on Sunday in Kuwait and end on April 6.

Saudi forces, military forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the US will participate in the exercises which will be held in Kuwaiti waters, airspace and land.

These maneuvers are considered one of the biggest military exercises on the regional and international levels. 

According to a statement issued by the Kuwaiti army, the aim of the maneuvers is to enhane coordination among governmental institutions which manage crises, activate these institutions’ role in supporting military and security operations and strengthen coordination among the participating counties to deter regional and local threats.

The military exercises will include a phase on operational planning procedures and phase of training command centers. There will also be field practices and the exercises will conclude with a seminar for top commanders.

This is the 14th time these drills are held. The first time they were held was in 1999 in Bahrain. These exercises have enhanced the performance of Gulf armed forces and of the Peninsula Shield Force, which is the GCC’s combined military force.

Source :Al Arabiya