Helicopters take off and land on the French helicopter carrier Tonnerre in the central Adriatic port of Split during the largest ever NATO military exercise in Croatia. The 12-day operation—dubbed "Noble Midas"—involves some 8,000 troops, 40 ships, six submarines, 40 aircraft, and a dozen helicopters on the country's central and southern Adriatic coastline. Troops from 12 of NATO's 26 members are taking part in the exercises aimed at training its Response Force units for worldwide peacekeeping missions. Croatia hopes to join NATO in 2008.