Eugene Kogan FOKUS | 10/2021 Israeli-Greek Naval, Air Force and Defence Industry Cooperation Introduction in part to stimulate defending the sea- the Navy’s connection with foreign fleets borne gas drilling installations around the which share common interests.8 The bilateral Israeli-Greek military and eastern Mediterranean. The exercises were defence industry cooperation was not also intended to simulate air-to-air combat Greece and Israel conducted a joint naval created in a vacuum, but is a by-product and anti-submarine warfare and were exercise for the first time ever on July 18th, of the steadily deteriorating Israeli-Turkish overseen by the US Sixth Fleet.4 Since then, 2012; two years after Israeli-Turkish rela- relations which include two important the joint exercise has occurred annually. tions broke down. The bilateral exercise events: the famous World Economic Forum The ‘Noble Dina’ 2019 submarine hunting symbolises the coming together of the incident in Davos on January 29th, 2009 exercise, involving naval forces from Israel, two countries. Israeli Navy ships conduc- and the Mavi Marmara incident on May Greece, and the US, was concluded in the ted five exercises in the Mirtoan Sea. The 31st, 2010.1 At the time of the incident, Mediterranean in late April 2019. Lt. Col Ei- exercises included firing missiles at the Prime Minister Erdogan said to President tan Paz, Commander of the 34 Squadron of rocky islet of Karavia west of Milos.9 On Shimon Peres: “Mr Peres, you are older the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Navy’s Mis- November 13th, 2017, three Israeli missile than me and your voice comes out in a sile Frigate Flotilla, said that: “Such exer- ships and a naval helicopter participated very loud tone. And the loudness of your cises are inherently difficult owing to the in the Hellenic Navy’s autumn ‘war games.’ voice has to do with a guilty conscience. aspect of the common language between The main aim was to provide training My voice, however, will not come out in the participating forces, which in our case on how to deal with modern maritime the same tone. When it comes to killing, necessitated a two-month long prepara- threats while conducting evacuations of you know well how to kill.”2 The Davos in- tory process. The seamen studied NATO’s civilian populations. During the drill, the cident was further aggravated by the Mavi international Multinational Mari time naval forces carried out advanced training Marmara incident, which left ten Turkish Tactical Procedures (MTP) language for in search and rescue and the prevention citizens dead after clashing with Israeli joint exercises and practiced the exercise of maritime terrorist attacks as well as commandos as the latter boarded the ship scenarios on simulators. For the seamen of in advanced maritime medical evacua- which was trying to break the Gaza block- the 3rd Flotilla, it was a special experience, tions.10 Israel has reaped many benefits ade.3 Moreover, the military component of going abroad with their vessels, docking at from the growing maritime partnership. A Israeli-Turkish relations, which used to be a foreign port, and spending a shore leave friendly partner like Greece owns similar the backbone of the relations, is still mis- with their counterparts from the Hellenic vessels to Israel’s – such as German-made sing and is unlikely to reappear in the near Navy and the US Navy. The experience air independent propulsion submarines future. For this reason, Israel began looking is intended to enhance the cooperation which can travel great distances without for a like-minded partner in the eastern between the participating forces.”5 needing to resurface. Maintaining such Mediterranean as early as 2011. By 2021, submarines is complex and requires a lot the bilateral relations were expanded into IDF Navy sources said that the interna- of knowledge. The Greeks have technical a fully-grown military cooperation that tio nal exercises enhance the bonds with knowledge on maintenance and Israelis continues to flourish and also includes the their allies. Eventually, the Israelis became are happy to learn from them11 in order to defence industry cooperation that reached involved and extended assistance at the be self-sustain able in the future. its zenith in April 2021. common language level, the willingness to help and solid foundations for doing In December 2020, a joint naval exercise From Naval Multinational Cooperation to things together in the future. As far as was held between Greece, Bulgaria, and Bilateral Cooperation the military aspect is concerned, it will be Israel. The latter displayed its capability to easier to face a real joint event after having land a helicopter on ships at sea and trans- It is important to stress that the United participated in joint training exercises.6 In fer injured personnel to hospitals on shore. States has encouraged Israeli-Greek naval the recent ‘Noble Dina’ naval exercise in If there is an urgent need for medical cooperation since the inauguration of the March 2021, in addition to Greece, France evacuation of naval personnel operating ‘Noble Dina’ naval exercise in 2011. ‘Noble and Cyprus joined for the first time.7 The in the eastern Mediterranean, then in Dina’ was the first trilateral naval exercise Navy led a large-scale exercise in which it the words of Antonio Mourinha, a senior led by the United States, Israel and Greece implemented capabilities in underwater officer in the naval command of NATO: and took place in 2012. It was reported in warfare, search and rescue, convoy escort “We do not have time to go to Turkey” with April 2012 that Israel, Greece, and the US and surface combat. These exercises are of an Israeli casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) conducted joint air and naval exercises, paramount importance in strengthening capability serving to extend the network.12 1 Israeli-Greek Naval, Air Force and Defence Industry Cooperation FOKUS | 10/2021 In other words, Israel, with its well-orga- Dimitrios Gritzaliotis, Commander of the spoke English but not everyone actually nised Navy and well-developed inland Greek deployment, commented: “I hope to commanded that language, and the main medical infrastructure, replaces Turkey as profit from this cooperation in a way that thing – they all had to fly together. There a major site for CASEVAC and becomes a both sides see the scenarios they train for are certainly similarities between the major pillar of non-NATO allies. daily and from a different point of view. Greeks and the Israelis. Pilots are pilots We expect to continue the cooperation but there are differences nevertheless and This is an indication of the enhanced between the two air forces and in the near it is interesting and important to listen military cooperation between Israel and future host the Israeli aircrews as they did and to learn. For the Israeli pilots, it was Greece in the naval sector and we can us.” 15 That is exactly what happened. definitely a giant leap in professionalism.20 expect further naval exercises between In June 2018, the IAF together with the English language proficiency for pilots is the two countries. This is also an indication HAF conducted a joint exercise over Greek not just a must but it is imperative during of trust and a learning curve for the Israeli skies. Long-distance flights and dozens real combat. As a result, the learning curve commanding officers and sailors. of aircrafts in unknown territory were and the interoperability of the fighter jets trained with air-to-air refuelling exercises are essentials for a successful air force From Air Forces Multinational Cooperation and mutual acquaintance of flight crews.16 operation. to Bilateral Cooperation In a statement, the Israeli Defence Forces noted that “40 Israeli fighter planes from An additional advantage in the joint exer- It needs to be emphasised that, like in the the 105 Flight Squadron as well as tanker cise is that Greece, as a member of NATO, aforementioned trilateral naval exercise, planes, which never landed during two operates according to NATO combat doc- the first ‘Blue Flag’ multinational air force missions, participated in the exercise.”17 trines. These doctrines differ from the ones exercise in Israel, including Greece, Italy, The exercise was part of a series planned used by the IAF, and this, in turn, provides and the US, took place in November 2013. for 2018 to improve the operational readi- an opening for mutual learning and the Israel was looking forward to hosting ness of the Israeli armed forces. exchange of opinions. more air forces in the next ‘Blue Flag’ that, as a biannual event, was scheduled for In November 2018, the IAF F-16I fighter There is no doubt that the naval and air 2015.13 Following the 2015 and 2017 ‘Blue jet squadrons returned from a combined forces exercises have greatly impacted Flag’ exercises, the big novelty in the 2019 training in Greece alongside the HAF. At the way that the countries see each other. exercise was the first-ever participation of the same time, service members from the Strengthening their fraternity vis-à-vis the IAF F-35 together with the air forces Hellenic Attack Helicopter Division trained defence industry cooperation is discussed of Germany, Greece, Italy, and the US. The in the IAF’s Ramon Air Force Base along- below. The so-called third leg of coopera- cooperation enables high-quality inter- side the IAF’s Helicopter Division. tion underscores how quickly the coopera- national training, mutual learning, and tion proceeded and what was accomplis- the study of flight techniques, providing This was one of the largest fighter jet exer- hed in the last 12 months. an opportunity to strengthen relations cises held by the IAF overseas in 2018.