The Hellenic (Greek) Navy has sunk the decommissioned frigate Bouboulina during an unprecedented live-fire joint military exercise in the Aegean Sea.
The high-stakes defense operation took place on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, within the North Cretan Sea. Greek and Israeli naval forces utilized the old warship (F-463) as a real-world floating target to complete acceptance tests for advanced new weapon platforms.
The combined fleet first battered the vessel with high-precision guided missiles before a Greek submarine delivered the final blow. The submarine fired a heavy SUT torpedo, ripping through the hull and plunging the vessel into the Mediterranean depths.
Testing the advanced spike missile shield
The live-fire exercise served as the final validation phase for the newly integrated SPIKE NLOS and ER guided missile systems.
Hellenic General Staff Chief General Dimitrios Choupis personally oversaw the naval drills from a commanding warship. Israeli Naval Chief Vice Admiral Eyal Harel also attended the historic drills alongside Hellenic Navy Chief Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras.
The extensive military fleet mobilized ships from the Frigate, Submarine, Fast Patrol Boat, and Surveillance Commands. Elite Navy SEAL commandos from the Underwater Demolition Command (DYK) and naval helicopters supported the tactical missile strikes alongside fighter jets from the Hellenic Air Force.
Confirming operational success in the Cretan sea
The joint forces fired the advanced SPIKE missiles from a Machitis-class gunboat and a specialized MARK-V unorthodox warfare vessel.
The guided projectiles achieved 100 percent target accuracy, confirming the immense operational value of the new weapon system.
Concurrently, two specialized Israeli Navy missile ships conducted parallel strikes to test cross-border combat synchronization.
Following the successful live-fire drills, Vice Admiral Kataras and Vice Admiral Harel held a bilateral defense summit aboard the Greek frigate Psara.
The two naval chiefs exchanged strategic views on contemporary maritime security threats, regional freedom of navigation, and unstable developments across the Eastern Mediterranean. Both commanders pledged to expand future partnerships in naval warfare innovation, technological exchange, and joint regional deterrence
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