The large-scale National Joint Exercise “PARMENION – 23” was completed on Tuesday, October 03, 2023. The exercise kicked off in the entire Area of ​​Responsibility of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, with the universal participation of assets and personnel of the three branches of the Hellenic Armed Forces, the Special Warfare Command of the HNDGS and the Security Forces and bodies of the Civil Sector.

According to a relevant announcement, during the conduct of “PARMENION – 23”, which was planned and executed under the direction of HNDGS, emphasis was placed on the training of personnel in immediate intervention for a rapid and decisive response to all kinds of incidents on the modern battlefield, in an environment of intense migratory flows, the emergence of hybrid threat/asymmetric action and high-intensity incidents.

Specifically, the main objectives of the exercise were the following:

• The adaptation of the operational planning to the situation is shaped by international developments in the immediate and wider area of our country, taking into account the recent lessons learned from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• The practice of planning and conducting joint operations in accordance with the Doctrine of Joint Operations.
• The implementation of the procedures of the Crisis Management System and the National Alert System, as well as the corresponding People’s Defence Alert System – Emergency Planning Policy of the HNDGS.
• The promotion of cooperation and coordination between the Branches of the Hellenic Armed Forces, the bodies of the Civil Sector, and the Security Forces during the implementation of National Plans.

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The following exercises were considered during “PARMENION – 23”:

• “MEGAS KONSTANTINOS- 23”
• “DYNAMIC REACTION – 23”
• “NESTED/STEEL CHEST – 23”
• “KATAPELTIS – 23”
• “POLYPHEMUS – 23”
• “GORGO – 23”
• “ANTAIOS – 23”
• “MERCURY – 23”
• “SHIELD – 23”
• “YDASPIS – 23”
• “CHIMAIRA”
• “FORMION – 23”
• “PROTECTOR”
• “PYTHON II”
• “POST TRAINING OF RESERVES – 23”
• “ANTIOCHOS – 23”
• “SIKINOS – 23”
• “NEMESI ENA – 23”
• “KEPAK”
• “IFAISTOS-23”

Exercise “PARMENION – 23”, through the examination of a number of complex and demanding scenarios, contributed to the training of the Hellenic Armed Forces personnel in the planning, coordination, and conduct of Joint Operations, promoting at the same time synergy and interoperability, both among the three Branches of the Hellenic Armed Forces Forces and the Special Forces Command, as well as between the aforesaid and the involved bodies of the Security Forces and the Civil Sector.

Particular emphasis was placed on the conduct of all kinds of operations on the modern battlefield (land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace) both individually and combined. The Armored Combat Vehicles Marder 1A3 and Reconnaissance M – 1117 participated for the first time in a large-scale National Joint Exercise alongside the RAFALE and F-16 VIPER fighters. The said fighters are force multipliers and provide excellent capabilities and advantages to the Hellenic Armed Forces.

Also read: HNDGS | The Hellenic Armed Forces participate in Multinational Exercise “NOBLE BLUEPRINT 23” – Photos & VIDEO

During the exercise, special plans were also examined which provide for countering hybrid and asymmetric threats, Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) incidents, Cyberspace threats, as well as Search and Rescue incidents. Furthermore, the partial activation of a Mobile Reserve Battalion in the Attica region was carried out for the first time with absolute success, in order to practice the implementation of procedures and the information of units in the field of Civil Defence.

In addition, during the exercise, items related to the testing and improvement of the Recruitment Plans and the Conscripts’ integration procedures, the activation actions of National Guard Units, the evaluation of the Command and Control systems and procedures of operations, as well as the implementation procedures of Strategic Communication and conducting Mass Media and Social Media Operations were examined.

The high professionalism and morale demonstrated by the participants of all levels throughout the exercise, as well as the realistic response to planned and emergency incidents in accordance with the applicable procedures, led to operational lessons and conclusions that are valued as absolutely positive and beneficial. The usefulness of these lessons in the organization and conduct of similar future activities is indisputable.

In addition to the contribution to the level of training for all the participating personnel, the successful conduct and completion of exercise “PARMENION – 23”, which is the culmination of the many and varied annual activities of the Armed Forces, overall highlighted their indisputable ability to manage complex and difficult incidents with the aim of preventing and guaranteeing the territorial integrity and national independence of the Country.

Also read: HNDGS | The Hellenic Armed Forces participate in exercise “GREEN BRIDGE 2023” – Photos