Greek military studying ‘unusual’ moves by Turkish jets

Turkish pilots engaging in mock dogfights with their Greek counterparts over the Aegean Sea have recently displayed signs of nervousness and inexperience, according to Hellenic Air Force sources.

In a mock dogfight near the island of Chios, the pilot of one of the Turkish jets released chaff in order to confuse the radar of the Greek jet on its tail. The action is considered unusual for a mock dogfight, but military sources said it was the third time this year that a Turkish pilot had deployed chaff.

Greek military authorities are reportedly evaluating the behavior of the Turkish pilots, especially as many of the more experienced ones have been decommissioned in purges carried out by the Turkish government in the aftermath of last year’s failed coup attempt.

Chaff is a radar countermeasure in which an aircraft releases a cloud of small, thin strips of aluminum to compromise the radar of pursuant planes.