The Egyptian and Sudanese Air Forces are carrying out a number of intensive training activities, on Wednesday, as part of the joint Nile Eagles-2 training, according to a military spokesperson statement.

The early stages of the training began with indoctrination procedures to unify concepts and refine skills to efficiently manage joint air operations.

It also included implementing many joint sorties the participation of a group of multi-role fighters, to attack enemy targets and protect vital targets.

The Nile Eagles-2 training is currently taking place at Sudan’s Merowe airbase, with the participation of elements from the air forces and Thunderbolt forces from both countries.

Moreover, the Thunderbolt forces on both sides continued training on storming, concealment, and camouflage operations. These would be used to carry out special operations, using different shooting positions.

The training is a means of measuring the readiness of the air forces of both countries in carrying out joint operations according to various objectives. It aims to achieve the maximum possible benefit for those involved in its planning and implementation, as well as raise the efficiency of managing air operations.

On 02 March 2021, Egypt and Sudan signed a defense cooperation pact, sending Ethiopia a stern warning over what the two allies see as its intransigence on a border dispute with Khartoum and talks over Addis Ababa’s construction of a massive Nile dam.

Signed in Khartoum by the Sudanese and Egyptian Chiefs-of-Staff, the pact crowns months of increasingly closer relations between the militaries of the two countries, including a series of joint war games and high-level visits, local media reported.

“We thank our brothers from the Egyptian armed forces for their good intentions, generous assistance and their strong support to overcome the present difficulties,” Sudan’s Chief-of-Staff, General Mohamed Othman Al Hussein, said.

Also speaking at the ceremony, his Egyptian counterpart, General Mohammed Farid Hegazy, said little of the content of the joint defense pact but spoke at length about military and security co-operation between the two countries, including intelligence gathering and of the overlap of their national security.

He also reassured the Sudanese that Egypt would not hesitate to quickly come to Sudan’s aid if needed.

“The resources, strong will and resolve are there to implement what we have agreed on to counter any emergency situations. Egypt is ready to meet Sudan’s requests in all fields, including armament, joint training, technical support and securing joint borders,” he added.

The Sudanese-Ethiopian border dispute has seen forces from both sides engage in several deadly clashes after the Sudanese military moved late last year to wrest back control of farmlands settled by members of Ethiopia’s Amhara ethnic group since the 1950s.

The two countries have since engaged in sabre rattling, accusing each other of border incursions, targeting civilians and massing up troops on the border.