US,Greece and France Wrap Up Eastern Mediterranean Wargames

Exercise Alexander the Great 2020 was conducted from 27 January to 8 February by the US Marine Corps with the Hellenic and French Armed Forces.AG 2020 involved integrated battalion-level command and control drills,plus company/platoon-level combined arms training to increase interoperability;reassure Allies and Partners;improve readiness;reinforce relations;and improve the ability to deploy alongside partnered forces.Larissa Airfield,Greece was a logistics center for the exercise.*
France provided the aircraft carrier Dixmude for AG 2020,which embarks up to 19 NH90 helicopters and 100 armoured vehicles.US and Greek forces also contributed Apache and Blackhawk helos,with the US drawing from its contingent based at Stefanovikio Army Air Base near Volos,Greece.*
The culminating drill of AG 2020 was a joint effort to recapture part of the Greek island of Spyros from the hypothetical enemy.AG 2020 meshed perfectly with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' desire to draw closer to the US and Europe.Along those lines,the Greek Parliament has just ratified the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the US,which grants the US access to several facilities for training,refueling,maintenance,storage and crisis response,including access to the strategic port of Alexandroupolis,a Balkans and Black Sea gateway for the US and its NATO Allies.*
US Marines from the 2nd Marine Regiment,2nd Marine Division partnered with Greek Marines from the 32nd Marine Brigade,1st Division during AG 2020.*

Iron Sword:US, Greek Soldiers Firm Up Alliance

From 18-26 November 2019,US Army and Hellenic Army troops conducted Exercise Iron Sword at the Urban Warfare National Training Center in Kiklis, Central Macedonia, Greece.Participating were Soldiers from the US Army 173rd Airborne Brigade and 17th Cavalry Regiment; and the Hellenic Army 71st Air Mobile Brigade.*
US troops experienced a Greek squad qualification course and explosives training.Rappelling and fast-roping drills sharpened the NATO Allies' airborne assault skills.The Americans attended a Greek class in tactical combat casualty care.*
The aim of Iron Sword was to strengthen the interoperability of the US Army and Hellenic Army.The drills were reinforced by a concluding joint​ force air assault and attack on objective.The joint force traversed a field of buildings, clearing them systematically until the entirety was secured.The attack involved close air support from Hellenic helicopters​; military working dogs; and infantry operations.It served to enhance the Soldiers' squad and fire team tactics,as well as their combat lifesaving capability.*