NATO allied Air Forces along with regional partners come together at Andravida Air Base as Greece hosts the international live-fly exercise “INIOCHOS 24” from April 8 to 18, 2024.

Exercise “INIOCHOS 24” provides a unique opportunity for participants to fly complex missions, specifically designed to enhance interoperability and increase combat readiness, said Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff. The exercise scenarios range the full spectrum of air operations and the use of the F-16 Tactical Simulators further enhance the training objectives, he added.

Close formation flight through low terrain during the Live-fly exercise. Photo by: Dimitris Dimitrakopoulos

The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) Fighter Weapons School oversees all air operations during “INIOCHOS 2024” including Air Power Contribution to Counter-Land and Maritime Operations as well as Combat Search and Rescue.

Participating Nations work together to plan, execute and clarify missions. Additionally, 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.

Andravida Air Base as Greece hosts the international live-fly exercise “INIOCHOS 24” Photo by: Giovanni Colla

The annual live-fly exercise started as a national air exercise at the tactical level in the late 1980s. This year (NATO’s 75th Anniversary year), Greece will witness the largest number of fighter aircraft and helicopters participating in the exercise’s history.

Romanian F-16 flying at a low altitude past buildings. Photo by: Dimitris Dimitrakopoulos

“INIOCHOS” offers realistic combined air operations where crews operate in a complex and congested air environment. 

According to NATO’s Allied Air Command, these challenging scenarios are specially designed to enhance interoperability and increase combat readiness, building a stronger and more agile Alliance.

Later this year, the HAF will host NATO’s first Ramstein Flag exercise again at Andravida Air Base. Organised by the Allied Air Command, this multi-domain exercise will be the first iteration, practising high-end sophisticated defence skills including Counter Anti-Access/Area Denial (C-A2AD), Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) and 4th and 5th generation aircraft integration. 

The exercise will also combine use of the synthetic training environment to achieve its objectives.

Also read: Realiscape | The modern version of “Train as you fight”