Royal Saudi Air Force Arrives at Greek Air Base for Joint Exercises
In a show of military cooperation, members of the Royal Saudi Air Force have touched down at the Greek Andravida Air Base to participate in joint exercises with several nations, as announced by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense on Friday.
INIOCHOS 2024: A Massive Air Drill
The RSAF team is gearing up for the annual medium-scale exercise INIOCHOS 2024, which is set to be one of the largest military exercises on the European continent.
Training and Deployment Details
The deployment for the exercise kicked off on April 1 and will run until Sunday, with the secondary phase starting next Monday and concluding on April 18, according to the Hellenic Air Force.
Phase three of the drill, which involves force redeployment, is scheduled for April 19-21.
Goals and Objectives
The RSAF will be showcasing their prowess with six Typhoon aircraft and all necessary crew members, as they aim to enhance their readiness and combat-efficiency levels.
The Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense highlighted that the exercise will provide an opportunity for the RSAF to engage in realistic war simulations, exchange expertise, and practice complex air operations alongside multinational forces.
Comprehensive Training Program
The drill, supervised by the HAF Fighter Weapons School, encompasses a wide range of air operations including offensive, defensive, and strategic counterair operations, as well as counterland and maritime operations.
Additionally, participants will practice combat search and rescue operations to enhance their capabilities.
International Participation
Joining the HAF aircraft in the exercise are countries like Cyprus, France, Montenegro, Qatar, Romania, Spain, the UK, and the US.
Austria and Portugal will contribute intel personnel and special forces, while Germany will send a group of observers, making this the largest gathering of fighter aircraft and helicopters since the inception of the INIOCHOS exercises in the 1980s.