Greek-US interoperability leaves lasting roots in Souda Bay
SOUDA BAY, Greece -- For millennia, the island of Crete has served as a launch pad for legends, both historical and mythical.
Another milestone would be recorded in the history of the more than 3,000-square mile island; but it would not be etched by the Greek god Zeus's lighting bolts on slabs of marble, but through contrails in the sky forged by F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft.
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U.S. and Hellenic air forces completed a flying training deployment Jan. 16 through Feb. 13 at Souda Bay, Greece. The deployment aimed to develop and improve air readiness while expanding strategic and operational ties between the two NATO partners.
The training featured the second pairing between the U.S. Air Forces in Europe's 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and the Hellenic air force's 115th Combat Wing's 340th and 343rd Fighter Squadrons since August 2014.
"The participation of the 480th EFS gives us both the essential means in maintaining and enhancing the ability of our personnel to work together, which will be increasingly important to meet future challenges as allied air forces," said Hellenic air force Lt. Col. Athanasios Antonakakis, 340th FS commander.
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U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. David Berkland, 480th EFS commander, attributed much of the success of the recent FTD to having earlier developed a working relationship between the two air forces.
"If we now have a rock-solid friendship with the HAF, it's because we built the foundation of the relationship last time - it was here before we stepped off our aircraft this time," Berkland said. "And because we already had the relationship, we've been able to achieve more than last time."
Berkland also said the chance for his squadron's pilots to simulate tactics with their Greek counterparts, including Hellenic air force F-4 Phantom II and Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft, underscored how dealing with another nation reflects the reality of aerial combat in the 21st century.
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The training, as U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Gallemore, 480th EFS director of operations, explained, involved a building block approach for pilots, beginning with basic fighter maneuvers such as offensive, defensive or neutral one-versus-one dogfight scenarios.
Pilots eventually graduate to two-versus-one engagements aiming to eliminate any adversary who threatens the formation. The next step pits a team of four fighters against a number of adversaries to employ air-to-air tactics to connect the 480th EFS' primary mission of offensive counter-air.
"I'm sure the exchange of views and experiences between us in regard to the mission-planning, execution, as well as debriefing, made the greatest possible benefits for both sides," Antonakakis said. "Obviously, the pilots reaped a lot of rewards from the bilateral training."
In addition to the curriculum, Greek airspace remains relatively unrestricted and stretches from Crete across mainland Greece and the Aegean Sea.