France and the UAE joined the MEDUSA-2020 drill conducted by Greece, Southern Cyprus and Egypt.
Due to the coronavirus, the “MEDUSA” drill, which was planned to be held in Egypt, Greece, and Southern Cyprus in Summer 2020, was canceled. As reported, between 30 November – 6 December, the planned multinational interdisciplinary drill will be held as “MEDUSA 2020”. The aviation exercise “MEDUSA” carried out since 2017as part of the cooperation between Southern Cyprus, Greece and Egypt in the field of defense and security. This year, for the first time, forces from France and the United Arab Emirates also join the drill. It was announced that with the participation of the UAE and France, the cooperation between the parties will be significantly strengthened this year.
The MEDUSA-2020 Drill will be held in the Egyptian port of Alexandria and in the Cairo airspace. The scope of the drill is divided into three stages; Search and rescue, electronic warfare and naval training.
Egyptian Navy in Russia for joint exercise
The Egyptian Navy group consists of the Alexandria frigate, the El Fateh corvette and the M.Fahmy missile boat. According to the press office of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, a group of vessels belonging to the Egyptian Navy anchored at Novorossiysk Port for the first time to join the Russia-Egypt Friendship Bridge-2020 exercise.
“The detachment comprises the Alexandria frigate, the El Fateh corvette, and the M. Fahmy missile boat. Chief of the Egyptian Navy’s operations department Rear Admiral Mahmoud Adel Mahmoud Faizi was appointed exercise director from the Egyptian side and delegation head,”.
The Russian-Egypt Friendship Bridge-2020 exercise was held on 17-24 November in Novorossiysk and in the navy combat training areas of the Black Sea Fleet. Ships belonging to the Egyptian Navy passed through the Bosphorus after the exercise and returned to Egypt.
