Airforces

Rising tensions

Reports from Greece indicate that the

authorities there believe Turkish military

activity in the Mediterranean has

increased significantly in the past few

months. The most recent example of

‘provocative’ Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK,

Turkish Air Force) actions occurred in

response to the recent Hellenic Armed

Forces exercises – including Iniohos

18 – on March 22. Two F-16Cs of the

THK’s 9ncü Ana Jet Üs Komutanliği (9th

Main Jet Base Command) at Balıkesir

reportedly harassed a Hellenic Army

Aviation CH-47D after being launched

from a forward base at Dalaman Airport.

According to the HAF, the transport

helicopter was carrying the chief

of staff of the Greek Army, Lt Gen

Alkiviadis Stefanis, commander of the

Aegean Army Forces (ASDEN) Lt Gen

Nikolaos Manolakos, and around ten

other high-ranking officers, among

them commanders of the Ro and

Kastellorizo island garrisons. The

Chinook was flying at low altitude on

its way to Rhodes. In response to the

intercept, two F-16C Block 52+ jets

from 343 Mira – each armed with a

pair of AIM-120C-7 AMRAAMs and

two IRIS-Ts – were scrambled from

Souda Bay. Upon their arrival, the

Turkish F-16s returned to Dalaman.

borders, having sent observers
to Iniohos last year. It brought
AW139 serial 701 from its 460 Mira
Erevnas Diasosis (460th Search
and Rescue Squadron) and 13
personnel including National
Guard special operations forces.
The Cypriots took part between
March 12 and 16, the AW139
being flown from Paphos to
Andravida via Rhodes and Souda
Bay. It took part in six CSAR and
JTAC insertion missions, recording
a total of nine flying hours.
Other helicopters in the exercise
included a UH-1H from Hellenic
Army Aviation’s 1st Aviation
Battalion (1 TEAS), which was
deployed from Stefanovikion
to Andravida for SAR missions
between March 16 and 23. An
NH90 from 2 TEAS and three
AH-64A/DHAs involved in the
Hellenic Army’s Exercise Polifimos
(Polyphemus) were on hand to
operate as aggressor helicopters.
HAF F-16C Block 52+ jets from
343 Mira provided SARCAP for the
Cypriot AW139 during simulated
rescues of downed HAF pilots.
Two days before the end of
the exercise a formation of IAF

F-15Is – each equipped with AN/

AAQ-13 and AN/AAQ-14 pods,

captive Python 4s and CATM-120s

• flew to Greece supported by
  a pair of KC-707s. It is believed
  that these Ra’ams simulated a
  long-range deep strike mission
  and probably didn’t land at
  Andravida but returned directly
  to their home base at Hatzerim
  after their four-hour sortie.
  Col Antonios Panidis,
  commander of the HAF Air
  Tactics Centre, was responsible
  for organising Iniohos 18. During
  the event he explained: “Robust
  naval and army forces provide a
  full-scale threat and target array,
  which is further augmented by
  the co-execution of the army’s
  live exercise Polifimos and the
  navy’s Astrapi. The [Iniohos 18]
  scenario begins with a crisis
  situation that escalates to a full
  war, giving the opportunity for the
  participants to be trained in full-
  scale day and night operations.
  While the participants are exposed
  to non-stop fighting, information
  flow affects every aspect of the
  mission and creates a realistic
  and immersive environment where

the aircrews’ tactical flexibility in

decision-making is challenged.”

This was the second Iniohos for

USAFE’s 492nd FS ‘Madhatters’.

Squadron commander Lt Col

Jeremy Renken was full of praise

for the event: “I am absolutely

impressed with the efforts the

Hellenic Air Force puts in, but also

every partner nation really invests

to bring top-trained people and

design outstanding scenarios. This

is really one of the better-prepared

training events... It’s absolutely

clear that the Hellenic Air Force

has invested a tremendous amount

of effort into making an absolutely

top-rated exercise for us; this has

been a fantastic training experience

with fantastic scenarios.”

Speaking at a media briefing, Lt

Gen Christos Christodoulou, the

chief of the HAF General Staff,

concluded: “Today we live in

an unstable period. Therefore,

military power – and especially air

power – is of utmost importance

for the fulfilment of states’ and

alliances’ interests. The danger

of a conflict escalating from

regional to global is always

a major strategic concern. I

strongly believe that multinational

training engagements strengthen

our relationships, maintain joint

readiness and interoperability

and reassure our regional

allies and partnership.”

Egyptian Air Force officers were

present at Iniohos as observers

for the first time and the exercise

is likely to continue to expand.

For example, it is believed

Jordan has expressed interest

in taking part. With the current

political and military instability

in Turkey, some countries will

be hesitant to participate in

the Anatolian Eagle series.

Meanwhile, Andravida is being

expanded, with additional apron

space and accommodation under

construction. Despite financial

problems, there are also rumours

that a complete ACMI range could

be established around the base,

with IAF support.

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Lt Col (P) I Tsitoumis,

HAFGS spokesman, for his

invaluable help in the preparation

of this article and to the personnel

of 460 SAR Squadron, Cypriot Air

Force.

AFM

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #362 MAY 2018 // 43