JEDUSA 13: The interstate military exercise was successfully completed

The international military exercise MEDOUSA 13 was successfully completed, the last day of which took place in the maritime area off Chania with the participation of warships, Special Forces aircraft and Landing Exercise in Maleme and specifically in the Military area of ​​the Closed Military Airport.

The exercise, which concerns the cooperation and cooperation of Military Corps, Special Departments of Special Operations between Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, France, Saudi Arabia, aimed, according to the representative Colonel Spyridon Aslanis, who spoke to APE-MPE, to strengthen issues of defense capabilities, readiness , joint planning and actions of military operations.

The MEDOUSA 13 exercise, which concerns an aeronautical exercise, was watched aboard the LHD MISTRAL ship of Egypt and the KOUTOURIOTIS Frigate, chiefs of arms and officers of the Armed Forces of the cooperation countries, international observers and officers of the Armed Forces of other countries. During the exercise, free fall jumps with national flags from a CH-47D helicopter were successfully performed with the participation of ED – DEU personnel from Greece – Egypt – Cyprus – Saudi Arabia, aerial infiltration with a free fall jump from a CH-47D helicopter by the personnel ED – DEE of Greece – Egypt, infiltration of a coastal reconnaissance team from the sea, with the dropping of rubber assault boats (HELO CASTING) from a CH-47D Helicopter and force protection by EE/P AH – 64A/D (Force Protection) with the participation of ED personnel – Greece-Egypt-Saudi DEU, coastal reconnaissance (ED – DEU sections) and exit of marine section to the coast with OH – 58D Helicopter cover, using landing craft L – CAT and CTM of LHD MISTRAL, transmission of tactical situation report by reconnaissance group of the coast, guidance of Close Support Fires/Terminal guidance aircraft through – JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) with the participation of ED – DEE personnel of Greece – Egypt and PA Aircraft of Greece – Egypt, provision of close fire protection from an attack helicopter (Close Combat Attack – CCA) , in the air traffic section, direction of means by Airborne Infiltration Team EE/P AH – 64A/D E/P OH – 58D, exit of 1st wave forces Participation of personnel of Greece (PZN Forces) – Egypt – Saudi Arabia Inflatable Assault Boats RHIB Boats ( Egypt) with the participation of personnel from Greece (PZN Forces) – Egypt – Saudi Arabia and the exit of 2nd wave forces, air movement to the target with a CH-47D Helicopter and rapid deployment of the Special Operations Department with Fast Rope, force protection (Force Protection) with the participation of ED personnel – DEE Greece – Egypt EE/P AH – 64A/D E/P OH – 58D, unhooking of ED – DEE sections (Unhooking to LHD MISTRAL and Greek Tankers) E/P S – 70B RHIB Vessels (Egypt and Greece), exit forces of the 3rd wave with the exit of wheeled vehicles HMMWVs, and the participation of personnel of Greece (PZN Forces) – Saudi Arabia using landing craft L – CAT and CTM of LHD MISTRAL, passage of Surface Units, passage of aircraft and passage of helicopters.

At the same time, the exercise included shots from warships in the Aegean, while there was continuous information on the flow of forces and the outcome of the operations, which was characterized as successful.

As the representative Colonel Mr. Aslanis explained to APE-MBE: “This is the 13th year of the interstate Exercise MEDUSA with the participating countries Greece, Cyprus, France, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, having activated aeronautical forces, i.e. aviation and the navy as well as special operations special forces. The objective of MEDUSA is to strengthen the cooperation and interoperability of the specific military forces of these countries, so that common military operational techniques and procedures regarding operations exist and are strengthened. In terms of coordination of military operations, each state has its own commander of its operations force, but an operational commander is also designated who has the responsibility of coordinating the commanders of all states. The administration changes every time but because MEDUSA until today is held either in Greek territory or in Egypt alternately, for this reason the administrators are either Greek or Egyptian”.

According to the Colonel, the accident rate in the conduct of this military exercise over the years is zero, given the high level of preparation of the participants but also “…because before the final phase of an exercise there are always tests, so as to reduce the possibility of accidents ». In fact, regarding the evaluation of MEDUSA, as he told APE-MPE “Each country carries out its own operational evaluation, draws its own data and conclusions, but at the same time we exchange within the framework of course of the classification, since some issues and data remain in purely national level, opinion and knowledge between countries’.

Regarding the position of Greece and its military readiness in terms of rating, the representative said that: “Because this information is classified I do not have to answer and I should not, however, I will emphasize the following: The fact that we have reached The 13th execution of the specific exercise and with the participation of the specific countries, probably proves that we are doing something right”.

The dominant message after the successful conduct of Exercise MEDUSA 13, is that from every direction, side, country, it must be understood that there is Security and Stability in the Maritime Area, Greece has strong alliances, defends and respects International Law and the Law of the Sea.