Israel hosts 4-nation warplane drill over Negev Desert

Israel began hosting its largest joint air force drill this week with pilots from the U.S., Italy and Greece over the skies of southern Israel.

The exercise, called Blue Flag, will take place in the airspace between central Gush Dan and the Negev Desert.

Seven Israeli flight squadrons are participating in the exercise, including one "red" squadron, which acts as a mock enemy force. Each nation's air force has come with its own aircraft: Israeli squadrons are flying F-15s and F-16s, the U.S. pilots are flying F-16Es, the Italians the Tornado AMX and the Hellenic Airforce is operating its own F-16s. In total more than 60 aircraft will participate in the drill, 40 of which will fly two sorties daily.

"The exercise is not intended to simulate a geostrategic scenario, but generic threats, like aerial defense and attacking targets," a senior Israeli Air Force official said on Monday.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro visited the airbase in Ovda on Monday, 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Eilat, to see the exercise.

"We [the U.S. and Israel] are cooperating in every field. Sunday night Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama spoke on how to work together in the upcoming period and coordinate their positions regarding a permanent deal on the Iranian nuclear program. We are both facing the same threats in the Middle East and it is crucial that we have the ability to operate together if the time comes. These exercises give our pilots the necessary experience so that if need be they can work together," Shapiro said.