Greece signs deal with Lockheed Martin to upgrade F-16 fleet

EPA/STEFANOS RAPANIS
Greek Air Force F-16 fighter jets seen flying during refueling-by-air training from a KC-135 aircraft of US Air Force at Chania, Crete island,on 13 August 2014.

- Advertisement -

Greece has signed a €280 million deal with the US defence contractor Martin Lockheed to upgrade its F-16 fleet over the next seven years.
The Security of Supply and Information Agreement (SSI) that was signed on the eve of Christmas between the General Directorate of Defence Investments and the U.S. firm is part of a wider defence modernisation program estimated at €1.8 billion.
Greece’s Defence Minister, Nikos Panagiotopoulos had told Parliament in December that 84 F-16 jets would be upgraded by 2027 to the advanced-tech Viper class, however the speed of the update would be determined by the number of aircraft required to remain in active service.
The move is considered a necessary measure to protect the country’s essential interests.
The financial crisis that stroke Greece more than 10 years ago, pushed the governing parties to cripple the defence spending as the country had to undergo three international bailouts between 2010 and 2018 to avoid bankruptcy.
Escalating tensions with neighbouring Turkey over the drilling vessels off Cyprus’ coast and over Turkey’s agreement with Libya over the maritime zones boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean had Greece strengthening its military ties with the US.
 

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

Latest

Don't miss

Global reaction to Trump tariffs only reinforces his use of this tired and risky strategy

True to form, U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted global...

The New Face of an Old Enemy: The renewed dangers of ISIS and al-Qaeda

A dangerous cocktail of indifference and complacency enabled al-Qaeda...

EU-Central Asia Civil Society Forum enhances regional cooperation, sustainable development

Almaty, the largest city and former capital of Kazakhstan,...

Donald Trump is inaugurated amidst promises of security, stability and prosperity

After storming a frigid Washington D.C. during his extended...

North Macedonia: Resuming course towards the political dark side?

As most analysts predicted after the strong showing of the nationalist presidential candidate in the first-round presidential elections on April 24, VMRO-DPMNE (Internal Macedonian...

With Sweden now a NATO member, what’s next?

Sweden completed the necessary diplomatic formalities on March 7, depositing its instrument of accession with the U.S. State Department in Washington, which manages the...

Intellexa Commercial Spyware Consortium sanctioned

The U.S. Government announced on March 5 a new set of sanctions on the members of the Intellexa Commercial Spyware Consortium based across Europe....

Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal going live after test runs

The Gastrade consortium confirmed on February 18 the long anticipated Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal at Alexandroupolis in Greece’s province of Thrace has received...

Playing politics with EU veto power – a very old game

In late November, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, standing alongside visiting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, told the media that he was against the “bilateralization”...

Zelensky Athens visit eclipses Mitsotakis’ informal Western Balkans Summit

Receiving a full house of Western Balkan leaders, as well as several EU luminaries, in Athens on an evening when much of northern Greece...

Back to Business: Greek conservatives rout socialist opposition parties in second round elections

Delivering an undeniable demonstration of Greece’s current focus on stability and the need to generate continued economic growth, the June 25 election produced the...

Strange goings on in Northern Greece seem to worry Ankara

Government-linked Turkish media have indicated concern about a series of visits and events in Greece’s Evros prefecture -- the Greek-Turkish border region -- which...