In an assessment reshared from the social media account of retired Rear Admiral Cem Gürdeniz, it was stated that the Greek and Israeli navies conducted a joint exercise with live ammunition in the maritime area north of Crete on October 21, 2026.
According to the information in the post, the frigate Bouboulina (F-463), which had been removed from the Greek Navy's inventory, was used as a target ship in the exercise. It was reported that the frigate was first targeted with guided missiles and then sunk by a SUT heavy torpedo fired from a Greek submarine.
It was stated that within the scope of the exercise, the Greek Navy conducted acceptance firings with Israeli-made SPIKE NLOS and SPIKE ER guided missile systems. It was noted that the firings were carried out from a Machitis-class patrol boat and a MARK V special operations boat, and that two guided-missile ships belonging to the Israeli Navy also participated in the activity.
HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION DREW ATTENTION
The assessment reported that in addition to Israeli Navy Commander Vice Admiral Eyal Harel, Greek Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff General Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras, and Commander of the Hellenic Fleet Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos were also present at the exercise.
The strategic partnership with Greece is an important force multiplier that strengthens our ability to act together in defense and offensive operations.
The post also stated that the commanders of the two countries discussed security developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, freedom of navigation, and the expansion of military cooperation aboard the frigate Psara.
It was emphasized that the fact that the exercise was held one day after the House of Representatives in eastern Libya ratified the Turkey-Libya Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Jurisdiction was politically noteworthy. However, the post also stated that the timing alone does not prove that the exercise was planned as a direct response to this decision.
The assessment noted that the activity conducted around Crete increased the visibility of Greece-Israel military cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, but that no conclusion could be reached that the exercise was conducted directly in disputed waters.
News Source: 12punto
