Israel, Greece hold joint military maneuvers in the Mediterranean

Page last updated at 06:55 GMT, Sunday, April 1, 2012 - 11:55 EST

Israel, Greece and the United States are engaged in joint naval and air exercises in the Mediterranean, the Ha'aretz daily reported Sunday.

The U.S. Sixth Fleet is overseeing the maneuver, code-named Noble Dina, which includes air-to-air combat simulations, anti- submarine warfare and protection of offshore natural gas rigs, according to the report.

Greek media, which first reported on it, has described as being meant to send a message to Turkey.

Originally dubbed "Reliant Mermaid," the exercise previously included the participation of the Turkish Navy and was held every year for over a decade until Ankara suspended military cooperation with Israel in 2010 over the death of nine of its nationals during a botched Israeli commando raid aboard an international aid flotilla to Gaza in May that year.

Athens had reportedly embraced the invitation to participate in the maneuver, after Israel and the U.S. decided to reinstate it last April.

Israeli-Greek military relations have dramatically intensified over the past two years via several joint aerial exercises held in both Israel and the Mediterranean. The Israel Air Force has also trained with the Italians, and there have been reports of negotiations to seal arms deals.

For Israel, the drills strengthen its strategic footing in the Mediterranean and enable its pilots to train in large, unfamiliar airspaces. For Greece, they constitute political gain vis-a-vis long-time rival Turkey. Relations between the two countries have been tense over Ankara's recent threats to act against Cyprus' offshore gas rigs, in which Greece has interests.

The exercise began on March 26 and is scheduled to end on April 5. According to reports in the Greek media, the exercise began at an American military base in Crete and will conclude in the northern port of Haifa. Reportedly participating in the exercise are a Greek navy destroyer and submarine, an Israeli Navy sailing vessel and several U.S. Sixth Fleet battleships, along with Israeli, Greek and American fighter jets and helicopters. Some of the aerial combat training involves so-called "aggressor" pilots mimicking hostile forces with flying tactics similar to those of the Turkish Air Force, according to Ha'aretz.

According to a report published on the Greek website Defencenet.gr, part of the exercise will take place off the coast of Turkey, near the Greek island Mais.

Some information for this report was provided by Xinhua, Ha'aretz, Defencenet.gr

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