From Monday 24 to Tuesday 25 July 2023, in the context of the wider planning of the HNDGS regarding international cooperation, joint training was conducted between the Hellenic Armed Forces (ED) and the Aircraft Carrier USS GERALD R. FORD (GRF) of the USA.
The organic aircraft and escort ships of the American Aircraft participated in the training and were deployed in an area southwest of the Peloponnese, in the context of the presence of Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG-12), to which GRF belongs, in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Armed Forces participated with personnel and means of the Hellenic Navy and Air Force, as well as of the newly established Special Warfare Command of the HNDGS, as follows:
● The Aegean Frigate with its organic Helicopter S-70B in the context of its participation in the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2).
● F/G NIKIFOROS FOKAS.
● The submarine (SUBMARINE) KATSONIS.
● 4 F-16 fighters and 2 mirage 2000-5 fighters.
● 1 Unorthodox Warfare Group (PLO) of the Naval Special Operations Department of the HNDGS DEP.
On the U.S. side, in addition to the GRF aircraft carrier, the destroyer USS Ramage and four F-18 fighters also participated.
During the co-training, the following complex business scenarios were implemented:
● Air Defense Exercise (ADEX).
● Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT).
● Combined Anti-Submarine Exercise (CASEX).
● Surface Warfare Exercise (SURFEX).
● Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) operations.
● Miscellaneous Exercise (MISCEX).
The joint training took place in the framework of the bilateral mutual defense cooperation agreement between Greece and the USA (MDCA), contributing to the promotion of the level of operational readiness, combat capability and cooperation of the participants in a bilateral and inter-allied framework.