The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos attended the Field Exercise “Ayios Fokas” at the homonymous area of the island of Kos, at the presence of the Armed Forces’ leadership.

The exercise’s scenario planned for the recapturing of the skerry which was captured by enemy forces. The participants in the exercise were the following: the gunboat “MACHITIS” of the Hellenic Navy, CHINOOK and APACHE helicopters of the Army Aviation, as well as Army forces, water-borne by MAGNA power boats.

Aim of this exercise, which was completed with success, was the co-exercise and concordant cooperation between the Branches of the Armed Forces in the context of jointness.

After the completion of the exercise, Mr. Panagiotopoulos congratulated, one by one, all the participants for the excellent way they carried out the exercise, with accuracy and effectiveness. The Minister emphasized the participants’ perfect training, knowledge, military virtue and devotion to duty, underlining that this exercise is being carried out at an area of great strategic interest for our country, and he pointed out: “You are one of the elite components of the powerful arm of the Armed Forces who ensure integrity and National independence to this country. You make us all proud”.

The exercise was also attended by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff General Michail Kostarakos, the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff Lieutenant General Athanassios Tselios, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Vice Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, the Commander of the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands Lieutenant General Efstathios Panitsidis and the Commander of the 80 Higher National Guard Battalions Command, Brigadier General Vassilios Baldoumis.

In the context of his two-day tour at Kos island, the Minister of National Defence visited the Headquarters of the 80 Higher National Guard Battalions Command, where a demonstration of the Command’s weapon systems took place, and afterwards he visited the 282 National Guard Battalion of the island of Kos, where he discussed with the personnel and conscripts of all Units on the island. The Minister pointed out the high operational readiness, the effectiveness and the great deterrent capability that the Armed Forces of Greece ensure and, at the same time, he invited the Units’ Commanders to combine their commanding capability and their qualifications with the fatherly affection and care for all conscripts.

The Minister also visited the Gunboat “MACHITIS” and the patrol boat “ANTONIOU”, which were moored at the port of Kos island and, at the presence of the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Vice Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, he was briefed by the Captains on their mission.