
Egypt and Greece start joint naval and air-force exercise 'Medusa 2017' (Photo courtesy of the army spokesman Facebook page Medusa 2017)
Egyptian and Greek air and naval forces started a joint military exercise, dubbed Medusa 2017, in the Mediterranean on Tuesday, the Egyptian army’s spokesman said in a statement.
During the exercise, Egypt will utilize some of its newly acquired weaponry such as a submarine and a Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock – named after the late president Anwar El-Sadat – which the country acquired last year.
Egyptian F16 fighter jets will also take part in the exercises, the statement read.
“The joint exercises come in the context of augmenting distinctive relationships, bolstering cooperation and exchanging expertise between the armed forces of Egypt and Greece,” the statement added.
The previous Greece-Egypt exercise in the series – Medusa 2015 – took place in Greece two years ago.
Earlier this year, the Egyptian and United States navies collaborated in the "Eagle Salute 2017" exercise in the regional waters of the Red Sea.
The Egyptian and French naval forces, meanwhile, conducted an exercise dubbed "Cleopatra," which ran for several days in Egyptian territorial waters of the Mediterranean and Red seas.
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