{"id":64028,"date":"2026-03-18T22:01:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T21:01:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=64028"},"modified":"2026-03-25T22:51:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T21:51:23","slug":"old-rockers-of-combat-aviation-at-an-iniochos-with-absences-including-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2026\/03\/18\/old-rockers-of-combat-aviation-at-an-iniochos-with-absences-including-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Old rockers of combat aviation at an Iniochos with absences, including Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once again, the Hellenic Air Force is carrying out its major annual exercise Iniochos, this year with many absences.<\/p>\n

Beautiful images of the last F-4 Phantom II fighters active in Europe<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe Hellenic Air Force celebrates 50 years of its Phantom II fighters with an excellent video<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

This exercise is being conducted from March 2 to 23 at Andravida Air Base<\/a>, in western Greece, with the execution phase from March 9 to 20. International circumstances have greatly affected this exercise.<\/strong> After three consecutive years of participation, the Spanish Air Force is not participating.<\/strong> Currently, EF-18 fighters from Wing 15 are deployed in Lithuania<\/a> on a Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission, and Eurofighters from Wing 14 returned yesterday from Romania<\/a>. It so happens that the Israeli Air Force usually participates in this exercise<\/strong>, and one has to wonder if the current Spanish government's terrible relationship with Israel and its growing affinity towards Turkey (an enemy of Greece) has influenced this absence.<\/p>\n

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Although they were expected to participate, the USAF and the Israeli Air Force also did not attend Iniochos.<\/strong> The military intervention of both countries in Iran explains these absences. Between this situation and the Russian threat in Eastern Europe, ultimately only Greece and France contributed fighter jets to this exercise<\/strong>. The French Air Force is also participating with a Boeing E-3F Sentry early warning aircraft. In addition, Slovenia has sent PC-9 turboprop training aircraft and Albania an AS-532 Cougar helicopter<\/a> (below). International participation is rounded out by a Polish Special Forces team, as well as observers from Croatia, Georgia, Serbia, and India.<\/p>\n

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This year, apart from the Greek Dassault Rafale fighters, Iniochos has been like a reunion of old rockers<\/strong>, with the old F-4E AUPs of the 338 Squadron \"Ares,\" the last Phantom IIs in Europe<\/a>, as well as Greek F-16 fighters<\/strong> (spread across four combat wings) and French Mirage 2000Ds<\/strong>. These are aircraft from an era before stealth technology, but when fighter jets were truly beautiful.<\/p>\n

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The Hellenic Air Force yesterday released the official video of Iniochos 26<\/strong>, which you can see below. It provides a good overview of the aircraft participating in this exercise:<\/p>\n

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DV-DAY Exercise #Iniochos26<\/a>
\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7 \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddee \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf1
\u27a1\ufe0fhttps:\/\/t.co\/hTDBxSnpUT<\/a>@EtatMajorFR<\/a> @FrenchForces<\/a> @Armee_de_lair<\/a> @Slovenskavojska<\/a>#HAF<\/a> #\u03a0\u03bf\u03bb\u03b5\u03bc\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae\u0391\u03b5\u03c1\u03bf\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03af\u03b1<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/XDAg7KCICD<\/a><\/p>\n

— Hellenic Air Force (@HAFspokesperson) March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n