Israel holds naval drill with US, Greece

The exercise, which began on April 27 and will conclude on May 14, involves air-sea maneuvers and the use of a variety of naval vessels.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Israel holds naval drill with US, Greece (photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
Israel holds naval drill with US, Greece
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
The Israel Navy took part in a trilateral exercise with the US and Greek navies this week.
The exercise, the largest of its kind, dubbed Noble Dina, involved air-sea maneuvers and the use of a variety of naval vessels. It began on April 27 and will reach its conclusion on May 14, the IDF Spokesman’s Office said.
Three Israeli missile ships – the INS Lahav, a Sa’ar-class ship, and the INS Keshet and the INS Romah, both Sa’ar-4.5 class missile ships – took part.
Israeli dolphin submarines and a naval helicopter also took part.
“On April 29 navy forces reached the Greek island of Crete and held combat exercises as well as technical anti-submarine warfare drills,” the IDF stated.
They were joined by a Greek submarine and the Hellenic Air Force, the IDF added.
The navy’s Snapir (diving fin) Unit carried out a simulated sea inspection course at a Greek facility at the entrance to Crete Port, in cooperation with NATO forces. The drill was headed by the commander of Haifa naval base, R.-Adm. David Salame, and the commander of the Missile Boats Flotilla, Capt. Eyal Harel.
The joint drill reflects the “high level of cooperation between the navies of the US, Greece and Israel,” the IDF said.