On Saturday 19 October 2024 the multinational Invitation Exercise (INVITEX) “MEDUSA – 13” concluded with the participation of personnel and assets from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“MEDUSA – 13” started on 12 October 2024 and took place in the region of Crete Island and the Aegean Sea, Greece. Moreover, observers from Bahrein, Jordan, India, Italy, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates attended the INVITEX. The objective was to enhance the cooperation and the interoperability of the participating armed forces.

The Distinguished Visitors Day (DV-Day) of the exercise occurred in Maleme, Crete, during which a series of joint operational capabilities were shown, as follows:

● Military Free Fall (MFF) – MFF display jump.
● Maritime Interdiction Operation – Visit Boat Search Seizure (MIO – VBSS).
● Direct Action (DΑ) Mission – Abseiling with the use of Fast Rope
● Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) operations.
● Close Combat Attack (CCA).
● Over the beach operations (Amphibious Assault).

The DV-Day was attended by the:

● Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (H.N.D.G.S.), General Dimitrios Houpis.
● Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ahmed Fathi Ibrahim Khalifa.
● Chief of the National Guard General Staff of Cyprus Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas.
● French Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean (Commandant en chef pour la Méditerranée – CECMED) Vice Admiral Christophe Lucas.
● Western Fleet Commander of the Royal Saudi Navy Rear Admiral Mansour Alijuaid
● The Ambassador of Egypt in Greece HE Omar Amer Youssef
● Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff (H.A.G.S.) Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff (H.N.G.S.) Vice Admiral Dimitrios Kataras HN, Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff (H.AF.G.S) Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Grigoriadis.
● Commander in Chief of the Hellenic Fleet Vice Admiral Polychronis Koulouris HN and the Commander of the Special Warfare Command (S.W.C.) Lieutenant General Prokopios Mauraganis
● Senior Officers of the Armed Forces of the participating countries as well as the Defence Attaches.