Defence minister Rear Admiral (Rtd) Peter Vilho said those in the army can only know themselves when they exercise together as a defence force.

Vilho was speaking on Friday at the end of a three-week-long military exercise code-named Ex-Khan Strike that took place at Etiro Farm where the Karibib Military Training Area is.

Ex-Khan, according to Vilho Minister was necessary to prepare the force against threats to the wellbeing and the national security.

The minister also said it was prudent that the NDF conducts an interoperability military exercise in order to demonstrate the joint services operational capability.

“You can only know yourselves when you exercise together as a defence force, hence Khan Strike Exercise which is being conducted with the aim to test the interoperability among the forces and to carry out a live demonstration of integrated weapon systems.

“These type of exercises prepare you to enable to maintain our sovereignty, territorial integrity and create conditions in which democracy is consolidated and social justice and economic development is achieved,” he said.

Vilho said the exercise was not triggered by any given development but a merely routine informed by the NDF mission statement.