From Friday, February 03 to Saturday, February 04, 2023, the first phase of the joint exercise “DEDALO 23” took place in the wider sea area northwest of Crete with the participation of the Hellenic Armed Forces and the Spanish Navy Expeditionary Strike Group – SP ESG. The latter consists of the amphibious assault ship-aircraft carrier ESPS JUAN CARLOS I, Frigate ESPS BLAS DE LEZO, the landing platform dock (LPD) ESPS GALICIA, and the General Support Ship ESPS CANTABRIA.

According to the announcement of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), the said joint exercise is part of the wider planning of the HNDGS in terms of the international cooperation of the Hellenic Armed Forces and contributed to the promotion of the level of operational readiness, combat capability, interoperability and cooperation between the participants in a bilateral and allied context.

The Hellenic Armed Forces participated in the exercise with personnel and assets of the three Branches of the Armed Forces as well as of the newly-established Special Warfare Command of the HNDGS, as follows:

• Hellenic Army: 2 AH-64A Attack Helicopters, 1 CH-47D Transport Helicopter, and 1 UH-1H Helicopter.
• Hellenic Navy: 1 Submarine, 1 Frigate with its organic Helicopter, and 1 fast attack craft.
• Hellenic  Air Force: 4 F-16 Fighter Aircraft.
• Special Operations Command: 1 Unit of the Special Operations Forces of the Naval Special Operations Unit.

Furthermore, 8 AV-8B Fighter Aircraft operated from warships of the Spanish Navy.

During the joint exercise, complex joint and advanced operational scenarios were performed as follows:

• Dissimilar Air Combat Training – DACT.
• Surface Warfare Exercise (Surfex).
• Combined Anti-Submarine Exercise (CASEX).
• Miscellaneous Exercise (MISCEX).
• Execution of Slow Mover Protection (SLOMO PROTECT) air scenarios.
• Naval drills of communications and supply at sea.
• Execution of Close Air Support (CAS) scenarios by F-16 and AV-8B Fighter Aircraft with guidance from Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC).

Also read: HNDGS | Completion of National Joint Exercise “DOUREIOS IPPOS – 2022” – Photos