AirForces Monthly – May 2018

ncreasingly unpredictable

behaviour from the Turkish

military was the backdrop

to this year’s Iniohos 18 hosted

by the Eliniki Polemiki Aeroporia

(Hellenic Air Force, HAF).

The event has included an

international presence since

2015, but the 2018 edition —

held from March 12-23 — was

the biggest yet in terms of the

number of participants, flying

hours logged and missions flown.

It involved 86 fighters from six

air forces, including the HAF.

Airborne early warning and control

(AEW&C), transport, tanker and

helicopter assets also took part.

The situation in Turkey continues

to be sensitive following the

failed coup of July 2016. The

government declared a state of

emergency, which was extended

for another three months last

January. At the same time, the

Turkish military was engaged in

a campaign in northern Syria.

Greek media report an upswing in

the harassment of civilian vessels

by Turkish Navy warships in the

Cyprus exclusive economic zone

(EEZ) and territorial waters since

last year. Meanwhile, Turkish

Navy maritime patrol aircraft have

kept watch on Cypriot, Greek and

Israeli naval activity in the eastern

and southeast Mediterranean,

in some cases allegedly

harassing other naval vessels.

The HAF states that the Türk

Hava Kuvvetleri (THK, Turkish Air

Force) has conducted dozens of

Brothers in arms

Regional tensions

didn’t hamper NATO’s

largest air exercise

of the year so far.

Babak Taghvaee

reports from Iniohos

18, with Philipp

Vallianos.

Above: The F-4E AUPs of the locally based 338 Mira saw extensive use during the exercise. The fi nal HAF Phantom II

squadron is primarily tasked with air-to-ground missions, and its jets carried Rafael Litening II targeting pods. Philipp

Vallianos Above right: Typhoon FGR4 ZK304 ‘304’ from No 3(F) Squadron tucks up its gear as it gets airborne from

Andravida. The RAF Typhoons each had a single captive-carry ASRAAM and a Litening III pod and were at the exercise

for the fi rst time. Babak Taghvaee Below: F-15E 91-0331 was one of 13 Strike Eagles from the 492nd Fighter Squadron

that took part in Iniohos 18. Each USAFE F-15E was equipped with captive-carry CATM-9M and CATM-120D training

missiles and an ACMI pod together with AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN and AN/AAQ-33 Sniper pods. Babak Taghvaee

I

40 // MAY 2018 #362 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

Exercise

Report Iniohos 18