These images gave me quite a lot of “Apocalypse Now“ feeling. If you haven’t seen the movie, then you certainly should! In this Photo Of The Day you see U.S. Army AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Attack Battalion), 12th Combat Aviation Brigade as they fired 15 Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM) 114R Hellfire II’s at Karavia Range Complex, Greece.

Five AH-64D and AH-64A Apache helicopters from the Hellenic Armed Forces participated in the live fire exercise, demonstrating the ability to mass precision fires as part of a multinational team. The live fire exercise was an opportunity to enhance readiness across the force and further build interoperability with host nation partners. 12 CAB is among other units assigned to V Corps, America’s Forward Deployed Corps in Europe. They work alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-ready forces, execute joint and multinational training exercises, and retain command and control for all rotational and assigned units in the European Theater.

DEFENDER 23 is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa led exercise focused on the strategic deployment of continental United States-based forces, employment of Army Prepositioned Stocks, and interoperability with Allies and partners. Taking place from 22 April to 23 June, DEFENDER 23 demonstrates USAREUR-AF’s ability to aggregate U.S.-based combat power quickly in Eastern Europe, increase lethality of the NATO Alliance through long-distance fires, build unit readiness in a complex joint, multi-national environment, and leverage host nation capabilities to increase USAREUR-AF’s operational reach.
DEFENDER 23 includes more than 7,000 U.S. and 17,000 multi-national service members from more than 20 nations who will participate including, but not limited to: Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.

Smoke from the Karavia Island of the after-effects of the Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM) 114R Hellfire II’s impact at Karavia Range Complex, Greece, on May 12, 2023. U.S. Army AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Attack Battalion), with five AH-64D and AH-64A Apache helicopters from the Hellenic Armed Forces, participated in the live fire exercise, demonstrating the ability to mass precision fires as part of a multinational team.

Source: U.S. Army, photo by Capt. Gabrielle Hildebrand.