Iniochos 2025: Air forces train over the Mediterranean under the shadow of real-world threats
On Friday, April 11, the multinational air exercise Iniochos 2025 officially concluded, marking the end of two intense weeks of high-tempo air operations across the Athens FIR. The exercise, which began on March 31, was hosted primarily at Andravida Air Base in western Greece, where nearly all foreign fighter detachments were based. The majority of Hellenic Air Force (HAF) assets operated from the 116 Combat Wing.
In brief
The international air exercise Iniochos 2025, which began on 31 March, ended after 1,300 missions were flown in the Athens Flight Information Region. The largest edition since the exercise was transformed into the INVITEX format involved 12 countries, including Poland with F-16 aircraft, India with Su-30s, France with Mirage 2000s and the United States with F-16s, KC-46s and KC-135s. The main operating base of Iniochos 2025 was Andravida Air Base, and the manoeuvres were observed by delegations from Bahrain, Cyprus and Slovakia. Greek land forces and the Greek navy also contributed.
This year’s iteration of Iniochos was the largest since the drill became an INVITEX (Invitation Exercise), with 12 countries contributing air assets and personnel. Participating nations included:
- France – Mirage 2000
- India – Su-30
- Israel – G-550
- Italy – Tornado
- Montenegro – Bell 412
- Poland – F-16
- Qatar – F-15
- Slovenia – PC-9
- Spain – F/A-18 Hornet
- United Arab Emirates – Mirage 2000-9
- United States – F-16, KC-46, and KC-135
- Greece – Full spectrum of HAF fighter, rotary-wing, transport, and trainer aircraft
Over the course of the exercise, approximately 1,300 sorties were conducted, showcasing a wide range of modern air combat capabilities.
Contributions from the Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, and the Hellenic Special Warfare Command played a critical role in shaping the exercise’s complex operational scenarios. Observer delegations from Bahrain, Cyprus, and Slovakia also attended, reflecting broader regional interest in joint readiness.
Throughout Iniochos 2025, participating air forces conducted a full range of missions in a demanding operational environment, with both day and night sorties. The exercise also extended into the virtual battlespace via Tactical Simulators for F-16 platforms at the Hellenic Air Tactics Center, further enhancing interoperability in a digital context.
Iniochos continues to serve as a key multinational training platform, reinforcing NATO and partner air force cooperation while adapting to the realities of modern conflict scenarios in the Mediterranean and beyond.
Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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