Turkish military aircraft committed 25 violations of Greek national airspace over the Aegean Sea on Tuesday, resulting in a mock dogfight with an interceptor jet, according to defence officials.
The aerial incidents mark a sharp escalation in regional tensions following Ankara's announcement of illegal marine parks in contested waters, which drew a strong reaction from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Seven Turkish aircraft flew over the North-Eastern, Central, and South-Eastern Aegean in three separate formations. The group comprised two armed F-16 fighter jets, one CN-235 reconnaissance plane, and four unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Turkish Air Force committed 14 infringements of air traffic regulations within the Athens Flight Information Region alongside the 25 national airspace breaches. Unmanned aerial vehicles accounted for 17 of the airspace violations and nine flight rule infringements.
Air Interceptions and Dogfight over the Aegean
Turkish F-16 fighters carried out eight of the airspace breaches, while the fighter formations generated three flight rule infringements in the Athens Flight Information Region. The CN-235 spy plane committed the remaining two flight rule infringements.
During one of the incursions, an armed Turkish jet engaged in a mock dogfight with a Greek readiness aircraft. The Hellenic National Defence General Staff stated that Greek fighters identified and intercepted all incoming Turkish aircraft in accordance with international rules and standard practice.
The Flight Information Region surrounding Athens requires all entering aircraft to report flight plans under international aviation rules. Long-standing territorial disputes between Athens and Ankara over airspace boundaries and Aegean maritime zones frequently lead to military intercepts.
Strategic Friction and Airspace Disagreements
Diplomatic relations between the two NATO members have been strained by maritime boundary claims and environmental declarations. Greece defines its national airspace at 10 nautical miles from its coast, whereas Turkey recognizes only a six-nautical-mile limit matching territorial waters.
The Hellenic National Defence General Staff serves as the supreme military command overseeing the Armed Forces of Greece. Aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-16 form the backbone of both Greek and Turkish air defence fleets, while the CASA CN-235 is widely used for maritime surveillance.
