September 8, 1998 (by Lieven Dewitte) -
Israel's Defense Ministry confirmed on Tuesday Israel and Turkey will hold a first joint air force exercise but said no date had been set for the maneuver. The London-based Jane's Defense Weekly said in its latest issue the two countries would stage a six-day air exercise in Israeli airspace starting on Sunday with the participation of Turkish F-16s. Israel and Turkey signed a military cooperation agreement in 1996 that allows both countries to use each other's airspace for training. The agreement has drawn fire from Arab and Islamic countries in the region.
