AZE.US
Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan have completed the large-scale “Power of Unity 2026” joint military exercise across Karabakh, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Azerbaijan’s sector of the Caspian Sea.
The drills involved 3,579 service members along with aircraft, ships, drones, armored vehicles and air-defense systems, according to Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry.
The exercise concluded after a Distinguished Visitors Day. Training took place at the Gyzylgaya center in the Karabakh Economic Region, the Garabaghlar center in Nakhchivan and the Boyuk Zira area of the Caspian Sea.
Scale of the Exercise
The Defense Ministry said the participating forces used 135 unmanned aerial vehicles, 76 armored vehicles, 94 artillery systems and 27 aviation assets.
The exercise also included 34 electronic-warfare, intelligence and radar systems; 18 air-defense assets; eight sets of engineering equipment; and 25 naval assets.
Azerbaijan described the maneuvers as the first exercise of this scale held in the territories restored to its control. Units from Türkiye and Uzbekistan trained alongside Azerbaijani forces.
Nine countries sent observers: Iran, Slovakia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates.
Urban, Maritime and Cyber Scenarios
Training scenarios included operations in populated areas, opening passages through minefields, destroying mock enemy armor, storming positions and neutralizing illegal armed groups.
Ground units operated with support from combat helicopters, artillery and armored vehicles.
At sea, forces practiced repelling a drone attack on a ship, retaking a seized offshore platform and vessel, freeing hostages and landing troops on an island.
A separate portion of the exercise focused on cyber and hybrid threats. Participants trained to detect and stop cyberattacks, counter disinformation, carry out deterrence measures and conduct counterterrorism operations.
Testing Cooperation Across Several Domains
The maneuvers demonstrated an effort by the three countries to improve interoperability on land and at sea as well as in the air and information domains.
Using training areas in Karabakh, Nakhchivan and the Caspian allowed commanders to test coordination under different geographic and operational conditions.
At the closing ceremony, representatives of Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan said the exercise supported an exchange of experience, improved combat readiness and strengthened ties among their armed forces.