Cyprus and France concluded on Monday a Joint Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) «CYFRA 02/21».
A press release says that the exercise took place in the framework of the defense cooperation program between the two countries and was conducted on the occasion of the presence of the French Aircraft Carrier “Charles de Gaulle” in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The exercise was conducted in a sea area within the Search and Rescue Region of the Republic of Cyprus under the coordination of the Joint Rescue Coordination Center.
Rescue helicopters of the French Aircraft Carrier “Charles de Gaulle”, the Patrol Boat “GEORGIOU” of the Navy Command of the National Guard General Staff, AW-139 helicopters of the 460 SAR Squadron of the Airforce Command of the NGGS, as well as nurses of the “MEDEVAC” Specialized Team of the Ambulance Service of the State Health Services Organization participated in the exercise.
The main goal of the exercise was to further improve the long-lasting cooperation in SAR matters between the RoC and the French Republic’s aeronautical forces as well as to train the SAR assets’ crews on the operational procedures followed during rescue operations for fighter aircrafts’ pilots, post ejection.
SAREX «CYFRA 02/21» is the second cooperation for 2021, while an overall of 40 exercises have been conducted with the French Republic’s aeronautical forces operating in the Eastern Mediterranean.
