The Egyptian armed forces announced on Monday the launch of the Egyptian-Greek-Cypriot Medusa 8 joint military drill on confronting potential terrorist threats.
Armed Forces spokesman Tamer al-Rifai said exercise will feature the participation of members of the Egyptian, Cypriot and Greek naval, air and special forces and will continue for several days within Egypt’s territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea.
The training is part of the annual joint exercises plan carried out by the Egyptian military to promote military cooperation with brotherly countries and improve the efficiency of its forces, he stated.
The training included Mistral helicopters carrier Anwar Sadat, the type 209 submarine, the Suleiman Ezzat missile craft and a number of multi-role F-16 aircraft, Rifai added.
Greece participated with a frigate, a landing craft, a submarine, a minesweeper and a number of F-16 fighter jets. Cyprus participated with a long-range transport vessel and Special Forces.
The spokesman added that the training aims to bolster the skills of the participating forces by exchanging expertise and preparing them to carry out joint tasks under different circumstances. The larger goal is to protect vital Mediterranean targets against potential threats.
The training is part of the growing partnership and military cooperation between the Egyptian armed forces and allied countries. The forces are working to meet growing challenges in the Mediterranean region, Rifai said.
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