Warships and aircraft from France, Greece, Italy and Cyprus completed a week-long maritime exercise off the southern coast of Cyprus on Friday.

Warships were seen in the Mediterranean around the island as helicopters and fighter jets took to the skies.

The exercises concentrated on search and rescue missions, anti-submarine operations and cyber warfare.

The drills also involved striking surface targets with live fire and target acquisition by low-flying Greek Air Force F-16 fighter jets.

Greece’s submarine Katsonis and frigate Kanaris, French frigate Languedoc, Italy’s offshore patrol vessel Bettica, as well as Cypriot vessels, helicopters and UAVs also took part in the drills.

The aim of the exercise is to strengthen cooperation and improve the interoperability of the four nations’ forces, to bolster security and stability in the eastern Mediterranean and to enforce international law, the Cypriot Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Produced by Lefteris Pitarakis and Menelaos Hadjicostis