'Blue Homeland' Exercise Alarmed Greece

turkey - Turkey's upcoming military exercise named 'Blue Homeland 2025' has raised concerns in Greece even before it started.

The Turkish Armed Forces will conduct the 'Blue Homeland 2025' exercise in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea from January 7 to January 16. The exercise, involving 87 ships, 7 submarines, 7 unmanned marine vehicles, 31 aircraft, 17 helicopters, 28 drones, as well as SAT and SAS teams with a total of 20 thousand personnel, has already sparked anxiety in Athens.

The Greek newspaper Ta Nea used the headline '100 warships with Blue Homeland' on its front page, referencing the upcoming visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara in February. The newspaper emphasized that Turkey feels more emboldened due to recent developments in Syria and described the exercise as 'provocative.'

Ta Nea also reported, based on Greek military sources, that Greek warships will monitor the movements of the Turkish navy during the 'Blue Homeland 2025' exercise and that shortly after this exercise, a large-scale Greek exercise will begin in the Aegean Sea. The Kathimerini newspaper used the headline 'From Ankara to 2025, a start with Blue Homeland' on its front page.

On the other hand, Greek news sites used headlines like 'Blue Homeland provocation,' 'Turkey's show of power,' and 'Turkey in the Aegean with 100 warships' to cover the story.

The 'Blue Homeland 2025' Exercise, one of the largest exercises of the Turkish Naval Forces, will be carried out simultaneously in the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea after a 3-year gap. This exercise holds significance for demonstrating and testing Turkey's operational capabilities in the three major seas. The aim of the 'Blue Homeland 2025' Exercise is to demonstrate the readiness of the Naval Forces, observe the effectiveness of command and control, and enhance joint interoperability. Local and national systems, weapons, and ammunition will be extensively used throughout the exercise. The exercise will showcase a show of force by the Navy in the three seas, with the participation of elements from the Naval, Land, Air Forces, and Coast Guard Command.