On Wednesday, 21 October 2026, acceptance firing trials of SPIKE NLOS and ER guided missiles were conducted in the wider maritime area of the Northern Cretan Sea, in the presence of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy, Vice Admiral Eyal Harel, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras HN, and the Commander in Chief of the Hellenic Fleet, Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos HN.
The firing trials involved vessels from the Frigate Command, Submarine Command, Fast Attack Craft Command, Patrol Vessels Command and Underwater Demolition Command, helicopters from the Naval Aviation Command, assets of the Hellenic Air Force, as well as two guided-missile vessels of the Israeli Navy. The SPIKE guided missiles were successfully fired from a MACHITIS-class Gunboat and a MARK V Special Operations Craft, confirming the effectiveness and operational value of the new weapon system. Furthermore, cooperation with Israeli Navy vessels contributed to enhancing operational interoperability between the two Navies.
In addition, Israeli Navy units also conducted guided-missile firings.
The target vessel was the decommissioned frigate HS MPOUMPOULINA (F-463), which was subsequently sunk by a SUT torpedo fired from a submarine.
In the framework of the firing trials, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff and the Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy held a bilateral meeting on board HS PSARA, during which they exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, focusing on current maritime security challenges, freedom of navigation, and developments in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. Particular emphasis was placed on further strengthening cooperation between the two Navies to promote regional stability and security. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in the fields of naval operations, innovation, and emerging technologies.
