A week before Exercise Iniochos, the pre-familiarization flights had begun with fighters from various NATO countries practicing the low-level routes in the Peloponnesos region, Greece. Exercise Iniochos is a multilateral air exercise hosted by Greece, normally held at the Hellenic Air Force’s Andravida Air Base. The exercise aims at enhancing the interoperability and cooperation of allied air forces in various operational scenarios.
Countries Participating included the United States, India, Israel, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Qatar Slovenia, Spain, the UAE as well as the Hellenic Air Force.
The name “Iniochos” is derived from the Greek word for “charioteer,” which reflects the emphasis of the exercise on advanced air operations that can cover a range of aspects of air power like air-to-air combat, air-to-ground missions, and integrated operations with ground and naval forces.
Exercise Iniochos participants usually consist of several NATO member countries, as well as partner countries, and the exercise features a range of different aircraft, such as fighter jets, transport planes, and helicopters. The training exercises are meant to test and improve tactics, techniques, and procedures among the different air forces, with the goal of cooperation and preparedness for real operations.
The exercise further performs an imperative role of supporting armed forces co-operation and building capabilities amongst participating states in such joint operations. Against the evolution in security concerns on the European continent, particularly under local threat perspectives, exercise such as Iniochos assume high levels of priority ensuring the building up of collective defence skills under the mantle of NATO persists.
Overall, Exercise Iniochos is an important event in the NATO exercise schedule that strides toward readiness and effective collaboration among allied air forces. And we were most happy to have witnessed the fighters take flying through canyons, to have shared the action up close and personal has always been a thrill.
