Hellenic Air Force - Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia
Tactical Weapons School (Scholio Oplon Taktikis - SOT)
Air Tactics Centre (Kentro Aeroporikis Taktikis - KEAT) - Andravida Air Base
November 2016
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Photo-report, article to follow.
The Fighter Weapons School (as they refer to themselves or just 'SOT') held their annual 16 week advanced flying training course at Andravida, for the first time a foreign air force was attending. |
Operating from Andravida
Hellenic Air Force
2 x Mirage 2000-5 with 114 Wing, 331 'Thiseas' All Weather Squadron from Tanágra in the air defence role.
2 x F-16D Block 52M Fighting Falcons of 116 Wing, 335/336 Mira based at Araxos and specialising in the air defence and strike role.
1 x F-16C Block 52+ Fighting Falcon of 115 Wing, 340 'Fox' Squadron based at Soúda in the air defence and strike role.
2 x F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcons of 115 Wing, 343 'Star' Squadron based at Soúda in the SEAD role.
1 x F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon of 111 Wing, 341 'Aces' Squadron based at Néa Anchialos in the SEAD role.
1 x F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon of 111 Wing, 347 'Perseus' Squadron based at Néa Anchialos, they specialise in the Air Defence and strike (air-to-ground) role.
3 x F-16C Block 30 Fighting Falcons of 111 Wing, 330 'Thunder' Squadron based Néa Anchialos in the air defence role.
1 x RF-4E Phantom of 110 Wing, 348 'Matia' (Eyes) Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron based at Larissa.
F-4E(AUP) Phantom IIs 117 Wing, 338 'Ares' Pursuit Attack Squadron and 339 'Aias' All weather Interception Squadron based at Andravida. |
Egyptian Air Force
Deployed four F-16C Fighting Falcons from the 272 Tactical Fighter Wing, 77 Tactical Fighter Squadron arrived in September at the start of the 16 week Tactical Weapons School course. Despite having made one F-16 available to photograph (approved by the Egyptians) at the 'Archangel' open day just two days earlier the Egyptian Government stated that their aircraft and air crew were not to be photographed or interviewed by the media.
Two HAF Mirage 2000-5s, ten HAF F-16 Fighting Falcons and a Cobham Dassault Falcon 20. |
| Andavida based F-4E(AUP) Phantoms line up with deployed F-16 Fighting Falcons for a mass launch of 14 aircraft |
| Left to right: the COMAO lines up on the taxiway and final checks ramp as ground crew wave them off. |
F-4E(AUP) Phantom II (71750) of 339 Mira returns at the end of a Electronic Warfare (EW) mission.
It is equipped with two ALQ-167 Radar simulation / Radar jamming pods, they are air-to-air and air-to-ground capable. |
| Left to right: F-4E(AUP) Phantom II (71750 and 01504) equipped with two ALQ-167 Radar simulation / Radar jamming pods inscribed 'NATO JEWCS' (NATO Joint Electronic Warfare Core Staff). |
| Left to right: F-4E(AUP) Phantom II (01504 and 71750) equipped with two ALQ-167 Radar simulation / Radar jamming pods. |
| Left to right: F-4E(AUP) Phantom II (01618) it is equipped with a on the starboard inner pylon is a SUU-20 practice bomb dispenser and rocket launcher. It contains six BDU-33 practice bombs. It was able to carry four 2.75 inch rockets but these are no longer used. |
| Left to right: F-4E(AUP) Phantom II (71755, 01525 and 01504). 338 and 339 Mira F-4Es are used though out the course. |
| Left to right: RF-4E Phantom (7499) of 348 Mira based at Larissa. |
| Left to right: The F-16 Fighgting Falcon ramp where the ten aircraft were prepared for flight. |
Left to right: F-16C Block 30 Fighting Falcons (115, 138 and 143) of 330 'Thunder' Squadron, 111 Wing from Néa Anchialos and specialising in the air defence role.
F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon (525) of 115 Wing, 343 Squadron based at Soúda in the SEAD role.
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Left to right: F-16D Block 52M Fighting Falcons (023 and 027) of 335/336 Mira, 116 Wing based at Araxos and specialising in the air defence and strike role.
F-16C Block 52+ Fighting Falcon (519) of 115 Wing, 340 'Fox' Squadron based at Soúda in the air defence and strike role.
F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon (064) of 111 Wing, 341 'Aces' Squadron based at Néa Anchialos in the SEAD role. |
| F-16D Block 52M Fighting Falcon (023) of 335/336 Mira, 116 Wing based at Araxos and specialising in the air defence and strike role. |
| Left to right: F-16D Block 52M Fighting Falcon (027 and 023) of 335/336 Mira, 116 Wing based at Araxos and specialising in the air defence and strike role. |
Left to right: F-16D Block 52 Fighting Falcon (618) and F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon (525) of 115 Wing, 343 Squadron based at Soúda in the SEAD role.
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| F-16D Block 52M Fighting Falcon (023) of 335/336 Mira, 116 Wing based at Araxos. |
| Left to right: F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon (064) of 111 Wing, 341 'Aces' Squadron based at Néa Anchialos in the SEAD role. |
Left to right: F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon (079) of 111 Wing, 347 'Perseus' Squadron based at Néa Anchialos. 347 Mira specialise in the Air Defence and strike (air-to-ground) role day and night their aircraft can be equipped with LANTIRN pods.
F-16C Block 30 Fighting Falcon (115 and 138) of 330 'Thunder' Squadron, 111 Wing from Néa Anchialos and specialising in the air defence role. |
Left to right: F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon (525) of 115 Wing, 343 Squadron based at Soúda in the SEAD role.
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| Mirage 2000-5 (555) of 331 'Thiseas' All Weather Squadron (Mira Pantos Kerou - MPK) based at Tanágra. |
Left to right: Mirage 2000-5 (555) and Mirage 2000B-5 (509) of 331 'Thiseas' All Weather Squadron (Mira Pantos Kerou - MPK) based at Tanágra, operated from Andravida to provide force protection.
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| Left to right: F-16s returning at the end of the day. |
| Inside the Fighter Weapons School briefing room with Lt Col (P) Dimitrios Varsamis, SOT Commander. |
