USS Ainsworth

The improvement of relations between Greece and Turkey and the sharp decrease in tensions is not only at the diplomatic level but also, and almost in tandem, with the operational situation on the ground.

In addition to the opening of channels of communication, both sides have also reached an informal agreement to limit military exercises in the Aegean to the absolute minimum.

At least 37 people have been rescued after a boat carrying 45 migrants capsized southeast of the Greek island of Crete, Turkish authorities said on July 23.

The boat sank at 9.10 p.m. local time (1800GMT) on July 22 in the search and rescue area of Turkey due to severe weather conditions, the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry said in a statement.

Turkey continues to use a domestically-built maritime patrol aircraft in missions from the Black Sea to the Aegean and from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Libyan coast. 

The P235 was produced as a part of the Meltem-2 Project and was added to the Turkish Navy's inventory in 2014.

Turkey launched its largest annual military exercise on Monday, called Sea Wolf (Denizkurdu), Turkish news agency Anadolu reported.
The exercise, supervised by the Turkish navy, will run through May 25 in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Sea with 131 warships, 57 warplanes and 33 helicopters, the news agency said, citing the Turkish General Staff.

In what has been described as a show of force to Greece and Cyprus, Turkey on Wednesday launched its biggest ever naval exercise.

The "Blue Homeland 2019" exercise, with the participation of frigates, destroyers and fighter jets, takes place in the Black Sea, the Aegean and the Mediterranean through March 8.

A Turkish naval frigate responded to an emergency call from a Greek registered merchant vessel in the Indian Ocean late on Sept. 7, the Turkish Naval Forces has said.        

According to a statement, the call came from the Greek ship "Aegean Angel" to the Turkish frigate TCG Giresun for the Greek ship's injured crew.      

Turkey challenged Greece’s sovereignty rights in the Aegean Sea on Saturday morning harassing an Italian ship in the sea area between the island of Karpathos and Rhodes.

The image of a Turkish warship passing through the Corinth canal is not a usual occurance. The ship in question is the anti-torpedo ship Sokullu Mehmet Pasa. The video has gone viral with a number of viewers believing that the ship had something to do with two frigates around the Aegean between Lesbos and Chios in violation of Greek territorial claims.

Sources at the ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs on Friday said that recent moves by Ankara in the Aegean should not form an obstacle to discussing confidence-building measures as agreed by the two governments.