PARTICIPATION OF INDIAN AIR FORCE IN EXERCISE INIOCHOS-23 (GREECE)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be participating in Exercise INIOCHOS-23, a multi-national air exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force. The exercise will be conducted at the Andravida Air Base in Greece from 24 Apr 2023 to 04 May 2023. The Indian Air Force will be participating with four Su-30 MKI and two C-17 aircraft

The objective of the exercise is to enhance international cooperation, synergy and interoperability amongst the participating Air Forces. The exercise will be conducted in a realistic combat scenario involving multiple types of air and surface assets. It will also enable the participating contingents to engage in professional interactions, providing valuable insight into each other’s best practices.

Exercise is divided into three phases:

• Phase 1: Detachment Deployment, 18 – 23 April 2023

• Phase 2: Execution Phase, 24 April – 4 May 2023

• Phase 3: Force Redeployment, 5-7 May 2023

MISSION

Planning, execution and debriefing of all missions is supervised by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) Fighter Weapons School (FWS), in order to secure the highest of standards. The missions cover the full spectrum of air operations performed by HAF, such as:

• Offensive Counter Air Operations (OCA)

• Defensive Counter Air Operations (DCA)

• Strategic Air Operations

• Air Power Contribution to Counter-Land Operations (APCLO)

• Air Power Contribution to Maritime Operations (APCMO)

• RECCE

• Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR)

• Time Sensitive Target (TST)

• High Value Airborne Asset (HVAA)

During Iniochos 2023, the F-16 Tactical Simulators of the newly established HAF’s Synthetic Training Squadron will be used for a number of missions, expanding Iniochos to the virtual world.

Participation

Iniochos 2023 will involve a large number of HAF assets, such as fighters, including the recently acquired RAFALE, Air Defence Systems, helicopters, transport and training aircraft.

Additionally, Hellenic Army, Navy and Special Operations assets and personnel will contribute significantly to the creation of complex and realistic scenarios across the exercise areas which spread over the Greek mainland and seas.

Furthermore, in Iniochos 2023 will participate with air assets:

• Cyprus with an AW139 Helicopter

• France with Rafales

• India with Su-30

• Italy with Tornados

• Jordan with F-16s

• Saudi Arabia with F-15s

• Slovenia with PC-9s

• Spain with EF-18s

• USA with F-16s and MQ-9s

Additionally, Austria will participate with INTEL personnel and Canada with Air Battle Managers.

The significant regional impact of «Iniochos 2023» has prompted the interest of a number of Nations which have declared the intention to participate with observers, such as Bahrain, Germany, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovakia, Tunisia and UAE.

The professionalism and of HAF’s personnel and its capacity to organize and conduct realistic exercises in a wide area covering a broad spectrum of geomorphological features, constitute INIOCHOS a major air exercise in Europe and the Mediterranean, capable to provide high level training and a unique participation experience.