Cairo: The main phase of the joint 'Medusa-15' military exercise was successfully conducted in Greece, featuring the collaboration of armed forces from Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, France, and Italy. The high-profile event was attended by Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Dimitrios Houpis, Commander of the Cyprus National Guard Emmanuel Theodorou, along with other military leaders and ambassadors from Egypt and France.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the exercise included personnel from various military branches such as naval and air forces, air defense, border guards, reconnaissance units, and special forces, including Egypt's paratroopers and commandos. The main phase commenced aboard the Egyptian helicopter carrier 'Gamal Abdel Nasser' with a presentation detailing all prior activities and events.
Training activities involved multi-role aircraft executing offensive and defensive combat sorties against simulated hostile targets. These operations were closely coordinated with Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) to ensure precision in airstrikes. Paratroopers performed parachute drops to secure strategic beachheads and executed a flag-bearing free-fall jump, showcasing their operational proficiency.
Furthermore, special forces participated in a boarding and inspection operation of a suspected vessel and conducted a raid on coastal targets. An amphibious assault was also carried out to capture critical objectives using landing craft from the Egyptian helicopter carrier, supported by attack helicopters providing cover for the landing approach.
The exercise concluded with a display of sailing formations and an air force demonstration. Earlier phases of 'Medusa-15' included live-fire exercises by naval vessels, specialized firing drills by special forces, and reconnaissance units employing explosive drones to engage hostile naval movements. Border Guard personnel shared strategies for surveillance and combating illegal maritime activities, while a cybersecurity course addressed modern electronic threats.