Israel Hosting 'Largest And Most Advanced Aerial Exercise Ever'

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is currently hosting a multinational military aviation exercise described as "Israel's largest and most advanced aerial exercise ever."

The "Blue Flag' aerial exercise took off on Sunday at Uvda Air Force Base in southern Israel and is scheduled to last for two weeks until October 28.

Seven air forces from around the world are participating: Germany, Italy, Britain, France, India, Greece and the United States.

According to the Israeli military, the event marks the first deployment of a British fighter squadron in Israel since the establishment of the country, as well as the first deployments in Israel of an Indian "Mirage" fighter squadron and French "Rafale" fighter squadron.

"This exercise is groundbreaking in terms of technology, quality of training, and the number of participating nations," Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, commander of the IAF, said in a statement. "It illustrates the partnership and strong bond between the nation's air forces and acts as a stepping-stone toward regional and international cooperation."

The first "Blue Flag" exercise took place in November 2013 and has been held on a biennial basis since then.

The goal of the exercise "is to strengthen strategic international cooperation through shared learning about the integration of fourth and fifth-generation aircraft in complex operational scenarios," the Israeli military statement said.

Various fourth and fifth-generation aircraft are taking part in the drill, including the F-35, F-15, Eurofighter, Dassault Rafale and Dassault Mirage 2000.