Greece’s premier exercise INIOCHOS returns to Andravida Air Base for 2026! Despite starting off bright, the developing situation in the Middle East heavily affected this year’s rendition. With tensions rising, countries including Romania, the United States, Montenegro, and rumours of Israel, all pulled out of the exercise. Commencing on the 9th of March 2026 and concluding on the 20th March, INIOCHOS provided a series of highly realistic and complex scenarios integrating air, land and sea based forces.
A Week in Vouraikos Valley
Afterburners ripping 10ft over skulls, beautifully painted jets and aileron rolls in the canyon was just the start. With doubts of the exercise still going ahead and rumours of the canyon being banned, many were reconsidering the exercise and refunding their flights and accommodation. Following last minute cancellations, this left France with the quartet of Mirage 2000Ds and a pair of Slovenian PC-9s alongside a single AS532 from Albania as the only foreign participants.
Familiarisation flights were conducted from the 2nd to the 5th of March, with the Slovenian entourage arriving into Andravida Air Base on the 2nd with the French following on the 3rd. The support consisted of a single C-27J and a pair of A400Ms for the respective contingents. The low flying area of Vouraikos Valley in Greece’s Peloponnese region was utilised throughout the week with the 5th providing 25 passes in the canyon. Passes were conducted from both directions, with a great element of surprise each morning with what direction we would be aiming our lenses. Overall a great week of low flying, with a beautiful aileron roll by a Slovenian PC-9M on the Wednesday and an overhead burner pass of a French Mirage on the Thursday. High energy, high speed, some almost inverted passes made for an absolute blast of a week in the bipolar climate of the Greek valleys. With a absolute insane number of F-4 passes (8!), everyone on the rocks was more than cheerful.
Hellenic Air Force
Fast jets:
- F-4E PI 2000/AUP – 338SQN
- F-16C/D Block 30 – 330SQN
- F-16C/D Block 50 – 341SQN
- F-16V – 335, 336, 337, 340 and 343SQN
- Mirage 2000-5EG/BG – 331SQN
- Rafale EG/DG – 332SQN
Support aircraft:
- C-27J Spartan – 354 Tactical Transport Squadron
- Lockheed C-130H Hercules – 356 Tactical Transport Squadron
- EMB-145H AEW&C – 380 AEWC Squadron
- AS-332 Super Puma – 384 SAR Squadron
Foreign Nations
- French Air and Space Force – Mirage 2000D – EC 1/3
- Slovenian Armed Forces – PC-9M – 152nd Fixed Wing Squadron
- Albanian Air Force – Eurocopter AS532 – Helicopter Squadron
What is INIOCHOS?
Originating in the late 1980s, INIOCHOS was a domestic small scale tactical level exercise. Future iterations of the exercise saw a multitude of formats with an expansion to a multi-national exercise in 2015 with the inclusion of Israel and the United States. Divided into four phases; preparation, force transfer, operation and folding, INIOCHOS provides a highly realistic training environment tailored to the modern battlefield.
2026 saw a total of 914 sorties carried out across Greek airspace covering an extensive array of mission profiles including offensive counter-air, air interdiction and close-air support. This year’s exercise was also conducted in the digital domain with Operational Synthetic Training Squadron carrying out missions in F-16 simulators.
With Andravida slated to undergo a major upgrade and overhaul for introduction of the F-35A to the Hellenic Air Force, it’s expected 2026 is the last INIOCHOS to be hosted at the base for the foreseeable future.
