Defence Redefined

Published on 08/02/2021 at 10:39

Hellenic Navy “Hydra” frigate sailed yesterday, Sunday, February 7, from Salamis port to the United Arab Emirates.

As announced, the frigate will participate in the events organized in the framework of the “International Defence Exhibitions IDEX & NAVDEX 2021”, which will take place at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center, from Sunday 21st to Thursday 25th of February.

The participation of the frigate in the specific events is part of the strengthening and deepening of the already excellent relations with the UAE, which culminated with the signing of the protocol of military cooperation between the two countries for 2021, in the presence of the Chief of the Hellenic National Guard General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.

The protocol was signed on the “Baynunah” corvette that had sailed to the port of Piraeus immediately after its participation in the exercise “Medusa”.

Also read: MoD | Turkey’s expansion policy and regional developments require careful Athens-Nicosia moves – VIDEO

In addition to the signing of the protocol, the strength of the strategic cooperation between Greece and the UAE was confirmed and strengthened at military level in 2020 and early 2021.

In this context, among others, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates, General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, visited Greece twice (on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 and from September 21-22, 2020), 4 F-16 aircraft were flown by the appropriate technical personnel in Souda from August 26 to October 2, 2020, while the UAE has participated in “Medusa” exercise for the first time.

In addition, on January 15, 2021, a 90-acre lease agreement was signed for the “Epilarchos Mellidis” camp in Avlona, ​​which will be used by the UAE Armed Forces to create infrastructure for hosting their personnel, who will be trained at the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI).

Also read: Prime Minister Mitsotakis in Nicosia for coordination in view of five-party conference