Exercise NEMESIS 2026 in Cyprus: Greek F-16s, the frigate Adrias, MEED paratroopers and, for the first time, a Coast Guard aircraft

Greek F-16 Vipers in the air, the frigate “Adrias” (F459) at sea, a C-130 carrying the Airborne Team of the Search and Rescue Units (MEED) and, for the first time, a surveillance aircraft of the Hellenic Coast Guard: Greece sent a strong force to the multinational exercise “NEMESIS 2026”, held on Wednesday, November 11 in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus. According to the announcement of the Cypriot Ministry of Defence, Cyprus, Greece, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel, Italy and Egypt took part.

The Greek force

From the Hellenic Air Force came two F-16 Vipers, an AS332C1 Super Puma helicopter and a C-130 transport, which carried the Airborne Team of the 31st Search and Rescue Squadron (MEED) of the Special Operations Command of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff. The Hellenic Navy took part with the frigate “Adrias” and the Hellenic Army with the 747th Special Engineer Battalion of the Construction and Natural Disaster Response Command.

The historic first of this year’s exercise belongs to the Coast Guard. For the first time, a Reims F-406 Caravan II surveillance aircraft of the Hellenic Coast Guard took part in NEMESIS, in the marine pollution response phase.

From a terrorist incident on a platform to marine pollution

The exercise scenarios included responding to a terrorist act on a hydrocarbon extraction platform, boardings of suspect vessels, extrication and air evacuation of casualties, mass rescue and marine pollution response. Three Special National Plans of the Basic National Crisis Plan “ZINON” were activated on a trial basis: “ASPIDA” for responding to a terrorist act, “TEFKROS” for mass rescue after a maritime accident and “ORFEAS” for marine pollution response. Overall coordination was held by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), in cooperation with the National Guard, the Police, the Deputy Ministry of Shipping and the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research.

Cyprus fielded eight warships of the Naval Command, a helicopter of the 460 Search and Rescue Squadron, an unmanned aircraft of the 470 Unmanned Aircraft Squadron, a helicopter of the Air Operations Unit and three patrol boats of the Port and Marine Police. On the special operations side, the Special Counter-Terrorism Platoon of the Police’s Rapid Reaction Motorised Unit (MMAD) and Underwater Demolition Teams of the National Guard Naval Command’s Underwater Demolition Unit (MYK) took part. France sent an Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft and Italy a P-72.

In the marine pollution phase, the trilateral exercise “CYPEX-26” of Greece, Cyprus and Israel was held, with the participation of the Greek Coast Guard aircraft, three Israeli aircraft and Israel’s pollution response vessel “BAT GALIM”, as well as Cypriot state and private assets. Cyprus’s Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Christos Senekis, in his address, called “CYPEX-26” a “characteristic example of substantive cooperation between three neighbouring countries”. Part of the scenarios were watched from the “Evangelos Florakis” Naval Base by Cypriot Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas, Justice Minister Costas Fitiris, Mr Senekis, Deputy Minister Nikolas Ioannides, and Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman.

NEMESIS is held every year and has caused annoyance in Ankara in the past. This year’s took place in a period of tension in the Cypriot EEZ, since Nicosia answered Turkey with a NAVTEX over the Abeille Marengo.