US Adds More Muscle to Greek Army; Turkey’s Enemy Stuck With Aging Jets » Today Latest Stories

The United States has approved the transfer of 35 Black Hawk helicopters and other military equipment to Greece, worth US$1.95 billion, while Greece’s ally Turkey continues to request F-16 fighter jets from Washington.

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The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) he announced on December 15 that the deal includes UH-60 M (Black Hawk) helicopters and other military equipment such as miniguns, machine guns, rockets, advanced computer suits, training, and financial assistance. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, will be the prime contractor for the deal.

The growth is significant, as Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced in early July that the country intends to increase its defense spending by approximately US$12.62 billion over the next four years.

At the time, he said that 19 important purchases were planned for the next four years, including the upgrade of 37 F-16 Block 50 aircraft and at least 20 F-35 aircraft.

Greece signed an agreement with the French aviation giant Dassault Aviation to buy 18 Rafales in January 2021. However, another agreement was signed in March 2022 for six more aircraft, bringing the total to 24.

In addition, Athens has sent a government request to the United States to purchase 20 F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter jets.

“We want to find an F-35 fleet that can choose the second one. Sending the Letter of Request (LoR), which happened a few days ago, is part of this process,” Mitsotakis told reporters after the NATO meeting in June 2022.

In February this year, United States Senator Bob Menendez, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, announced that he has offered to sell Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to Greece.

In fact, the evolution of Greek warfare is going better than ever. Speaking at the newly launched government policy talks, the Greek defense minister said earlier this year that he would improve the capabilities of the Greek military, as well as acquire three FDI frigates, 24 Rafale fighter jets. from France, and 83 other F-16 fighter modifications.

In addition, the National Security Governmental Council in Greece, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, approved the purchase of Israeli-made SPIKE NLOS missiles on March 29.

Greece, a member of NATO, spends 2% of its GDP on defense and has built up modern military books because of the conflict with its NATO partner, Turkey, which has come to a head in the past few years.

For years, Greece and Turkey have been at odds over a number of issues, including energy, the divided island of Cyprus, air traffic in the Aegean, and the extent of their shelf and maritime boundaries.

This great conflict is beginning to disappear. On December 14, Greece and Turkey have decided to rebuild their relationship and set the stage for bringing a new phase of strong ties between the two former NATO allies.

In a memorable visit, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek President Sophia agreed to increase trade, work on the issues that separate them, especially in the Aegean Sea, focus on good relations, keep communication channels open, and seek military cooperation. confidence-building strategies to address sources of conflict.

A day later, he announced the purchase of American choppers and other military equipment. The move has signaled that the military revolution and military coup by Athens is expected to continue despite the end of the conflict with Ankara.

However, there is a catch. While Greece continues to add teeth to its air force by buying from NATO allies such as France and the United States and refurbishing its existing fighter jets, Turkey has struggled to get F-16s from the US apart from losing the -35 stealth fighter to America. penalty in 2019.

Turkey Requests F-16s And Eurofighter Jets

Turkey also said on December 16 that it expects the United States to act quickly and swiftly on the F-16 fighter jet deal. The long process Ankara has to go through to acquire F-16 fighter jets from the United States to replace its army has frustrated Erdogan’s administration, Daily Sabah reported. report.

Istanbul needs the upgraded F-16s not only for practical reasons but also for technical and financial reasons. After withdrawing Turkey from the F-35 development program for the purchase of Russian S-400 fighter jets, Ankara has been trying to buy 40 F-16 fighter jets and 80 F-16 replacement parts to replace the F- 16s ago. they have it.

The aging F-16s need an urgent overhaul, especially since the F-35s are not in sight, and Turkey’s next-generation fighter currently under development will not be ready for deployment for several years. Faster procurement has been necessary to combat the Greek military’s competition for advanced technology.

In July this year, the administration of US President Joe Biden supported Turkey’s desire to buy 40 new Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 aircraft and modern equipment for its existing aircraft in the US. However, the agreement needs to be approved by the US Congress, which is not forthcoming.

Yaşar Güler, the Minister of National Defense, said that “technical meetings” regarding the purchase of F-16 have been completed and stressed that Turkey expects “good and strong measures” from the United States.

“We hope that the process will start with good and sustainable processes soon,” Güler told reporters at a year-end review meeting in Ankara, the Turkish capital.

Disappointed by the US Congress that decided to give F-16, Turkey they started talking and European countries for the purchase of the advanced model 40 Eurofighter Typhoon. It has been in talks with companies that build military aircraft, including the UK, Spain, and Germany. However, the talks have hit a roadblock with Germany disagreeing on sales.

Güler also pointed out that sanctions are the biggest concern in procurement. He continued to say that “the allies should have a better understanding of Turkey’s role in the world and in the region and therefore stop such restrictions.”

“We emphasize that a strong Turkey and a strong Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) means a strong NATO and a strong alliance, as well as the fight against terrorism,” he said.

He added that Turkey believes that Eurofighter jets are the best option. He also said that Turkey wants to buy 40 Eurofighters, 20 of which will be the first generation and 20 of them will be a good model.

Germany has been criticized by Ankara several times for refusing to buy planes. According to Güler, they are waiting for a German approach that supports “the spirit of (NATO) cooperation.”

“The support and methods of the UK in this matter is important because it sets an example for its partners. Spain helps us in the same way. As for Germany’s objections, it would be a good way to make decisions and decisions in line with the public’s view of security, according to the spirit of cooperation,” said the minister .

With NATO allies the US and Germany concerned about the sale of fighter jets that Turkey desperately needs, there is speculation that Ankara may turn to its rivals Russia and China for what it wants.