Greece Launches Military Exercise in the Aegean Following Turkey’s Expected Survey
Greece initiated a significant military exercise in the Aegean Sea on Wednesday, deploying air, naval, and ground forces as a show of deterrence following Turkey’s announcements of a potential survey.
The drill, which started at 5 a.m., includes the Delta Force, a combined unit of the Hellenic Armed Forces. It’s intended to demonstrate Greece’s readiness and resolve to defend its national sovereignty. More than sixty fighter jets and the entire Hellenic Navy fleet are participating, along with special forces units on thirty islands and army formations in the northern Evros region.
Greece’s exercise in the Aegean is a response to Turkey’s Navtex
The exercise was prompted by a Turkish Navtex (a navigational telex used to broadcast maritime warnings) issued by Izmir station, reserving areas for the survey vessel Piri Reis.
The notice outlined a research route stretching west of Lesvos, south of Chios, and toward the islet of Kalogeros—located between Chios and Andros. Parts of the vessel’s declared route pass through Greek territorial waters and over Greece’s continental shelf—areas where Turkey lacks authority to issue a Navtex.
While framed as a scientific mission, Ankara’s move serves a broader geopolitical purpose. By asserting a role in Central Aegean waters, Turkey is signaling its refusal to accept Greece’s interpretation of maritime zones.
While the survey was expected to begin on Monday, Greek officials noted that the ship remained anchored in the Izmir Marina. Athens interprets this as a sign of possible hesitation on Ankara’s part.
Related: Turkey Challenges Greece and Cyprus by Blocking Key Projects in the East Med
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