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During the return of the Greek F-16s from the exercise “Eunomia” (photo), which took place in late August in the eastern Mediterranean with the participation of Cyprus, Greece, France and Italy, the Turkish forces tried to locate the Greek fighters . recruitment of S-400 radars. Photo MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE / DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION
Indications that Turkey activated the radars of the S-400 anti-aircraft systems to detect Greek-made F-16 fighters upon its return from exercise “Eunomia” off the coast of Cyprus on 27 August 2020, appear to have set off the alarm. which awakened Washington to the situation in the eastern Mediterranean in the past. This episode followed a few days later (September 12) the visit of the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the Republic of Cyprus and a little later (September 27-29) to Greece (Thessaloniki and Souda). In the operation on August 27, the Turkish air defense did not notice the development of the F-16s from Souda base to Cyprus and, on the way back, based on information from “K”, an attempt was made to locate them (and not catch them). with the help of a Turkish early warning and control plane destined to locate Greek fighters. The aftermath was known even then, as the six F-16s, with the help of four more Air Force fighters from Souda base, engaged with Turkish fighters in the area south of Rhodes and east of Crete. In the following days, the Turkish flying radar (Boeing 737 AEW & C) was used on other occasions to locate the Greek fighters.
It is clear that Ankara’s game with the S-400 is upsetting Washington, which has threatened to impose sanctions (CAATSA) in the event of a Russian missile launch. According to information from a section of the Turkish opposition press, Ankara is planning a general test of the S-400 systems at the Sinop firing range on the Black Sea.
However, regardless of the decisions Ankara makes in the coming period regarding its air defense, last week was crucial in many respects, with the main event being Mr. Pompeo’s three-day visit to Thessaloniki and Souda. According to the permanent mooring of the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams floating business support platform at the Souda facility, the United States is substantially strengthening its presence in Crete. Supporting a 106,000-ton displacement ship capable of carrying helicopters, UAVs, and other systems requires significant changes at the Souda base. Equally obvious is the US decision to support Greece in the ongoing effort since 2016 (“K” has repeatedly returned to the subject since then) to convert the Cretan Navy into Souda, based on the permanent mooring of at least one Destination of the fleet. Aiming to complete this transfer of PN units in Crete is in 2023, the Souda base has been transformed into a second Naval Station with energy projection capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean. As the new expanded Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) specializes, the next units of the US Armed Forces will emerge to be deployed to Greece (such as the KC-135 flying tanker in Larissa).
The importance of Crete
Crete, in general, seems to be becoming a center of concentration of military power with an infrastructure that can house not only Greek and American forces, but also units from Arab countries, as has been the case in recent weeks with the case of United Arab Emirates aircraft. in Souda. Similar collaborations are expected with Saudi Arabia. It is also a decision of the Greek government that the strategic cooperation with Israel acquires close relations that will translate into a presence on Greek territory in various forms, with an emphasis on the defense industry and beyond. And in the case of the Israelis, Crete is a fundamental link in strategic cooperation with Greece. Not only Souda is going to develop in the next few years, as there are other critical infrastructures in Crete.
From a US point of view, reinforcing the presence in Souda is a clear option to more closely monitor the growing Russian presence in the eastern Mediterranean. This was one of the main reasons that Congress approved (as revealed by “K” in February) the installation of a state-of-the-art surveillance system in the Aegean and Crete (Maritime Domain Awareness) which of course is also used by Greece. A more extensive system of this type, reinforced with weapons systems, was approved just a few days ago by the United States for Egypt. Aside from Russia, of course, the United States is gradually beginning to worry about the peaceful, but rapid, way in which Chinese influence is expanding to the wider region. From the American point of view, Thessaloniki will be the headquarters to counter Russian influence in the Balkans and further north, Central Europe. Energy will be an important tool in this, as the Americans seem willing to use Alexandroupolis and the Greece-Bulgaria gas pipeline (IGB) to move American gas, competitive with Russia, to the Balkans and Europe.
New “front”
In addition to the broader geopolitical game, Athens has turned its attention to the continuing effort to restart exploratory contacts. Expectations are real, but lowered, given the two-speed rhetoric followed by the Turks. Abroad they have lowered their tone in an effort to spread the impression of a country that respects international law, while at home President Erdogan, and not only him, speaks of “rights” of the country from the Caucasus to Jerusalem. ” ottoman “. . In the coming weeks, a particularly demanding element for Greek, but especially Cypriot, diplomacy will be the request of the EU. (as reflected in the Summit Conclusions) for a Multilateral Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean. In practice, the Council adopted a proposal from Ankara. From Athens, initial reactions are tepid, but the form it will take is problematic, as Ankara will push for a fair representation of the pseudo-state. Of course, in the event of such a conference, Turkey, in turn, will have to accept the presence of the Republic of Cyprus. The obvious purpose of this paragraph is to exert pressure, so that immediately after the so-called “elections” in the Occupied Territories, a process of resolution of the Cyprus problem begins, under threats, among other things, for the settlement of Varosia and while the floating drilling rigs and TRAO research continue its activities within the continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus.
