Following a recent meeting with US President Trump, Greek Prime Minister Kiriakos Mitsotakis announced his intention to start talks on the possible procurement of 24 F-35s from Lockheed-Martin. According to Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos on Sky TV, a squadron of these 5th generation aircraft together with the infrastructure would cost more than 3 billion euros, but there would only be clear financing options after the talks have been concluded. Panagiotopoulos estimated that the country will probably acquire the F-35 after 2024.
The minister also said that Greece will modernize 85 of its existing F-16C/D fleet to near Block-70 or Viper, which will be done around an AESA radar and will take seven to eight years. With the integration of intermediate capabilities, the Greek Air Force intends to complete the transition from fourth to fifth generation fighter aircraft, while at the same time pushing ahead with the modernization of the Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft, which should give Greece regional air superiority over Turkey. Greece’s interest in the JSF Lightning II is significant because its local rival and neighbor Turkey will be eliminated from the core program of the USAF and several allies following the acquisition of the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. On the possibility of purchasing warships and other weapons from the US, the minister said there were proposals under discussion between the Pentagon and the Greek government. There are two ways of acquiring military equipment – either directly or in the form of surplus US weapons.
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