INIOCHOS Andravida Air Base Greece

Twelve nations participated:

France with Mirage 2000D’s from 3 Escadre,

India with Sukhoi SU-30MKI from 8 Sqn,

Israel with a Gulfstream 550,

Italy with Tornado ECR and IDS from 6 Stormo,

Montenegro with a Bell 412EP from the helicopter Sqn,

Poland with F-16Cs from 3 ELT,

Qatar with F-15QAs,

Slovenia with PC-9 of 152 Air Sqn,

Spain with EF-18s from Ala 46,

United Arab Emirates with Mirage 2000-9s,

United States with F-16s from 31 st FW (with a KC-46 and KC-135 not operating from this

base).

Participating in an observer capacity were representatives from Bahrain, Cyprus and

Slovakia.

The host nation provided the most aerial assets. This exercise is an opportunity for most if not all of the combat squadrons to take part in realistic training with and against a range of other aircraft. In years past, it was a wholly Greek exercise but the international element has added another dimension and gone from strength to strength with more and more nations wanting to take part.

The Hellenic Air Force assets saw the F-4Es of 338 Mira based at Andravida taking part. Detached to the base were Mirage 2000s from 114PM, Rafales also from 114PM and because there was insufficient capacity at Andravida (preparatory building work is taking place in readiness for the receipt of the F-35s ordered) all of the Hellenic Air Force F-16s involved were flying from Araxos Air Base. Fortunately for those who were given access to attend the media day a number of F-16s flew through in formation on their return to Araxos.

The Hellenic Air Force also provided transports and helicopters in support of operations and although unseen by those of us at Andravida, the Hellenic Army, Navy contributed to the creation of “complex and realistic operational scenarios”. Some 1,300 sorties were conducted during the exercise. Taking this as a whole, it is hardly surprising that so many other Countries are keen to take part for the breadth of training is not something that one nation could conduct for itself.

Andravida may, sadly, not be the location to host Iniochos in 2026. The building works may make that impractical but Araxos is not far away and may be able to accommodate the participants.

Wherever it is held, this event will help to hone the skills of another cadre of pilots who will benefit from the breadth of training, the realism of the missions flown and the opportunity to fly with, to work with, pilots and crew from a range of other nations.

If I have the opportunity to attend again, I will do what I could not this year and that is spend more time ahead of the media day, up in the mountains to watch and to photograph the aircraft flying at speed and at low level through the Vourakis Canyon. Some superb flying skills to be seen.

Before closing, I take this opportunity to thank the Hellenic Air Force for all of the arrangements they made to make it possible for representatives of the media and for ‘spotters’ to attend the Exercise for a day. It is hugely appreciated and I also record my thanks to the Defence Section of the British Embassy in Athens for helping to facilitate my attendance at the event.

Article and Photos by Peter Nelson