ISTANBUL, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish navy on Monday launched one of the country's biggest military drills in all the surrounding seas, the force said in a statement.
The exercise, dubbed SeaWolf 2019, covers the Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea, and kicked off in the southwestern province of Mugla, said the statement posted on the navy's website.
A total of 131 warships, 57 warplanes, 33 helicopters and 25,900 military personnel, including search and rescue teams, are taking part in the drill that lasts until May 25.
Turkey's home-made weapon systems, naval artillery and other military means are to be tested in the drill, such as frigates, submarines, armed unmanned aerial vehicles and ship-to-land multi-barrel rocket launchers, the statement said.
The units will carry out strategic and operational exercises based on scenarios of real crises and war situations as well as natural disasters, noted the statement.
