French President Macron announced following a phone call with Greek PM Mitsotakis late Wednesday that he decided to “temporarily reinforce the French military presence in the eastern Mediterranean in the coming days, in cooperation with European partners including Greece.”
In the area were deployed two French Air Force Dassault Rafale of EC 2/4 (Figther Squadron 2/4) from Saint Dizier AB, based nowin Paphos, Cyprus and the French Navy “La Fayette” (F710) frigate.
Today a marittime exercise was organized between French and Greek forces in the eastern Mediterranean sea, even in the area prohibited by a Turkish NAVTEX published to allow the work of the research vessel Oruc Reis in the sea east of Crete.
The two Rafale partecipated in the exercise departing from Paphos and used also the Greek base of Souda Bay.
The Greek Navy participated in the exercise with 4 frigates: “Spetsai” (F453), “Aegean” (F461), “Lemnos” (F451) and “Koundouriotis” (F462).
The French Navy with the LHD “Tonnere” (L9014) and the frigate “La Fayette” (F710)
In the area was operating the Turkish research shio “Oruc Reis” escorted by some Turkish navy frigates
