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The multinational air exercise “Iniochos 2024” began on Monday, April 8th, at the 117 Combat Wing, where the Hellenic Air Force “Tactical Weapons School of the Air Tactics Center” is located at Andravida Air Base. The exercise will last until Thursday, April 18th.
The exercise, equivalent of the US NAVY’s “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program” (a.k.a. Top Gun) and the USAF’s “Red Flag” exercises, is taking place in the wider area of the Athens FIR.
It involves a large number of HAF assets, such as fighters, including Rafale and F-16 Viper, Air Defence Systems, helicopters, transport and training aircraft. Additionally, Hellenic Army, Navy and Special Operations assets and personnel will contribute significantly to the creation of complex and realistic scenarios across the exercise areas which spread over the Greek mainland and seas.
Apart from Greece the following countries participate with personnel and assets:
– France with Rafale aircraft and E-3F AEW aircraft
– United Kingdom with Typhoon aircraft
– USA with F-16 aircraft and MQ-9 Unmanned Aircraft
– Spain with F-18 aircraft
– Qatar with Rafale aircraft
– Republic of Cyprus with AW-139 helicopter
– Montenegro with B-414 helicopter
– Romania with F-16 aircraft
– Saudi Arabia with Typhoon aircraft
In total, 36 fighter aircraft from nine countries are participating. Additionally, Austria and Portugal are participating in the exercise with Information Personnel and Special Forces, while Germany will send an observer team.
It should be noted that the participation of countries taking part in Exercise “Iniochos 2024” is the largest to date since the establishment of the exercise as INVITEX (Invitation Exercise).
It is noted that the preparation for the Exercise took place from April 1st to April 7th. From April 8th onwards, the execution phase is underway, which includes the “Spotters Day” on Wednesday, April 17th, and the “Distinguished Visitors Day” on Friday, April 12th. Furthermore, from April 19th to April 21st, the exercise enters the phase of redeployment.
On Monday, April 8th, the execution of scenarios previously agreed upon by the participating countries began. The so-called “familiarization flights” had started with the arrival of the missions, where aircrews from allied countries had the opportunity to experience “terrain masking” in the picturesque environment offered by the Vouraikos Gorge. “High speed-low pass” flights through the gorge aim in preparing pilots mainly for “flying under the radar” strike missions.
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