Home GCC Saudi Arabia Saudi, Bahrain begin joint naval exercise The exercise, called ‘Bridge 18’, began on Tuesday by Staff writer October 11, 2017 Saudi Arabia and Bahrain began a joint naval exercise called ‘Bridge 18’ in the waters of the Arabian Gulf on Tuesday, the official Saudi Press agency (SPA) reported. The Saudi Royal Navy is being represented by the Eastern Fleet. Set to run in two stages, the exercise will carry out the “operations of controlling in territorial seas, protecting vital and important installations and the main waterways in the area, conducting live ammunition, counterterrorism, surveying and reconnaissance operations, diving exercises and sea landing operations on coasts and beaches”. The commander of the Eastern Fleet Rear Admiral Fahd Al-Ghafili was quoted as saying that the exercise was aimed at consolidating bilateral naval ties, increasing combat preparedness, strengthening and supporting the supply of joint forces in any armed conflict overseas, and the development of joint operational coordination between naval units. He added that the operations reflect the extent of ability and readiness of combat and readiness reached by the naval units involved from both sides and that the exercise included a number of lessons and lectures. 0 Comments