The Hellenic Navy frigate Kimon participated on Sunday, 8 March 2026, in a bilateral search-and-rescue exercise between Greece and Cyprus, codenamed Salamis-01/26. The drill took place within Cyprus’s designated search-and-rescue (SAR) region, as part of ongoing cooperation to strengthen maritime operational readiness between the two nations.
Joint Forces in Action
In addition to the frigate Kimon, the exercise involved a helicopter from Cyprus’s National Guard 460th Search and Rescue Squadron, as well as an aircraft from the Cyprus Police Air Operations Unit. These assets supported the simulation of a realistic SAR scenario and reinforced coordination among the responsible agencies.
Coordinated by Larnaca SAR Centre
The exercise was coordinated by the Larnaca Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC), in collaboration with the Hellenic National Defence General Staff and the Cypriot National Guard General Staff. It forms part of the existing Cyprus–Greece Inter-State Search and Rescue Agreement — provisions of which are activated during such drills to enhance SAR services across the eastern Mediterranean.