Saudi and Greek air forces begin joint exercise in Greece

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) began a joint training exercise with Greece on Tuesday.

The “Falcon Eye 1” exercise took place at the Souda Air Force Base in Greece, the Saudi Ministry of Defense said.

Several joint sorties using F-15C aircraft by the RSAF and F-16, Dassault Mirage 2000 and F-4 Phantom aircraft by the Greek Air Force took place in the skies above the Mediterranean.

The exercises focused on implementing several training sorties that included offensive and defensive counter operations and air support operations.

Col. Abdulrahman Al-Shehri, commander of the RSAF group participating in the exercise, said: “The beginning of the exercise was preceded by several coordination meetings with the Greek Air Force, which focused on mechanisms of action, types of flights and the participating aircraft, and accordingly a complete program was developed that includes all sorties.”

He said the exercise is “exceptional and the first of its kind with the Greek Air Force to refine and develop the technical skills of the air crew, and to support their readiness to exchange experiences in all available fields.”