A significant factor in their geopolitical strife is the need for air superiority over the Aegean. Numerous incidents have taken place over the Aegean Sea with frequent Turkish Air Force violations — some nearly causing war.

Already having some of the best pilots in NATO, the Hellenic Republic is making strides in bilateral ties, which have allowed Athens to purchase new-generation aircraft while Ankara’s air capabilities have remained stagnant.

Greco-Turkish Dispute

In the aftermath of the catastrophic 1919-1922 Greco-Turkish War, the original Treaty of Sevres that partitioned mainland Asia Minor between various nations was replaced by the Kemalist-backed Treaty of Lausanne.

In the treaty, the Hellenic Republic recognized all territories of the Republic of Turkey in return for Ankara’s recognition of the Greek sovereignty of the Aegean Isles. Articles 8 and 12 established Athens’ sovereignty and territorial claims over the Aegean Isles, save for Imbros and Tenedos that were given to Ankara.

The treaty has hold for several decades, but air and maritime violations by Turkey are frequent. Turkey, which boasts NATO’s second-biggest military, is also one of the alliance’s few members with a force projection capability.

Due to unstable governments that led to internal conflicts and corruption, Greece struggled to keep up with Turkey’s military might. The countries came close to war, particularly during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the S-300 dispute, and the Imia Crisis.

Feeling emboldened by Greece’s stagnation, Turkey has regressed from Mustafa Kemal’s original policies, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP party has dreams of Neo-Ottomanism, which directly threatens Greece’s sovereignty.

Athens Upgrades Air Force

Greece, realizing it could not keep up with Turkey’s population in a ground war, instead focused on naval and air power. Turkey has a solid and large navy as their responsibility includes rivaling Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. For this, Greece’s military doctrine shifted to complete aerial supremacy.

Already having top-ranked NATO pilots with extensive pilot training, the Hellenic Air Force is currently being revamped with state-of-the-art warplanes.

In early 2022, Athens purchased six Rafale fighter jets from Paris. Consolidating a defensive alliance with Greece against Turkish threats that coincide with French interests, France has helped revamp the Hellenic military.

Turkey’s ploy to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system is Ankara’s most significant foreign policy blunder, as the country has been barred from the F-35 program, while Greece was welcomed in. Athens is also supplemented with the Mirage 2000 and modernized F-16s.

Ankara’s Shortfalls and Attempts to Rebuild

Attempting to mirror Greece’s growing aerial capabilities, Turkey is currently faltering for assorted reasons.

Erdogan’s growing authoritarian government is not just affecting Turkish citizens but also the military. As with any hybrid regime, government purges lead to stagnation with military capabilities.

In the aftermath of the 2016 failed coup, Erdogan ordered military purges in the military. One of the wings directly affected was the air force, which remains stagnant.

Sense of Urgency in Turkey

The Turkish government and military analysts are coming to terms with Greece’s growing aerial warfare capabilities, which is causing a sense of panic in the country.

If Turkey cannot modernize its aircraft, particularly the F-16s, by 2025, Greece will have the edge on air superiority, retired Turkish Air Force Commander General Abidin Unal said earlier this month.

One could argue Turkey’s two year-long blackmail towards Sweden’s NATO membership is not because of Stockholm’s amnesty towards Kurdish and Turkish dissidents but to get America’s attention.

On January 27, the US government lifted the F-16 block on Turkey and approved the $23 billion sale of 40 of the jet towards modernization of the Turkish Air Force, which all but hinted Sweden’s near two-year hold on NATO membership was tied to the standoff between Washington and Ankara.

On the same day, Washington also approved the $8.6 billion sale of F-35s to Greece, which Ankara is still barred from, showing equilibrium has not been reached in Turkey’s relations with the US.

However, US Senator Victoria Nuland opened the possibility of Turkey rejoining the F-35 program if Ankara were to give up the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system.

Nevertheless, even with a friendship understanding between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Erdogan, conflict can ensue between both countries, particularly over Cyprus.

Unless Turkey can somehow find its way back into equilibrium with top Western partners, such as the US and France, it will lose the fight for aerial dominance with Greece.

Julian McBride is a forensic anthropologist, former Marine, and journalist born in New York.

He reports and documents the plight of people around the world affected by conflicts, rogue geopolitics, and war, and also tells the stories of war victims whose voices are never heard.

Julian is the founder and director of the Reflections of War Initiative (ROW), an anthropological NGO which aims to tell the stories of the victims of war through art therapy.

As a former Marine, he uses this technique not only to help heal PTSD but also to share people’s stories through art, which conveys “the message of the
brutality of war better than most news organizations.”

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The Defense Post.

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The country’s defense ministry announced Friday that the ship had completed its first-ever helicopter landing and takeoff exercises.

AH-1W Super Cobra and SH-70B Sea Hawk helicopters landed on the TCG Anadolu’s flight deck, demonstrating that the ship can support aircraft operations.

1⃣Güne asil milletimizi gururlandıracak fotoğraflarla başlamak istiyoruz.

Fotoğraflarda gördüğünüz Deniz Kuvvetlerimize ait AH-1W Super Cobra ve SH-70 Sea Hawk helikopterleri, Çok Maksatlı Amfibi Gemimiz #LHDANADOLU'ya ilk inişi gerçekleştirerek konuşlanmayı tamamladılar. pic.twitter.com/OklhKkfYNS

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) November 18, 2022

A month earlier, the multi-purpose aircraft achieved another milestone when it deployed Ankara’s ALTAY main battle tank in a landing exercise.

Trials of the future Turkish flagship are expected to conclude by the end of the year.

The TCG Anadolu

Developed by Sedef Shipbuilding, the TCG Anadolu will be the largest naval vessel in the Turkish military, at a length of 232 meters (761 feet).

It can accommodate up to 261 people, including crew members.

The ship is armed with five Aselsan 25mm remote weapon systems, two Phalanx close-in weapon systems, and a surface-to-air missile system.

Apart from the Super Cobra and Sea Hawk, the large vessel will operate locally-developed T129 attack helicopters.

It is expected to support military missions in the Aegean, Black Sea, and Mediterranean Sea regions and could also be deployed in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

Before the US removed Turkey from the F-35 program over its acquisition of Russian defense systems, the ship’s “ski-jump ramp” was supposed to launch the Lockheed Martin F-35B fifth-generation fighter jet.

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The General Atomics drones are expected to cost around $400 million, including two ground control stations, spare parts, and related equipment.

Greece is acquiring the drones to beef up its maritime surveillance, reconnaissance, and target identification capabilities amid rising tensions with Turkey.

The drone offers an endurance of 40 hours and a range of 1,850 kilometers (1,149 miles). 

Tensions With Turkey

A Turkish drone flew over a Greek island in the Aegean Sea early last month, forcing the Greek air force to dispatch aircraft to intercept it. 

After the incident, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Greece to demilitarize the Aegean Sea islands, saying that Athens had violated “treaties that guarantee the unarmed status of the Aegean islands.”

Anti-Drone Shield

Greece is reportedly developing an anti-drone shield to cover the country’s islands and critical locations. 

The system will use Israeli technology to electronically neutralize Turkish drones such as the Bayraktar and Anca by interfering in their flight plans, Greek outlet Kathimerini reported.

Greece is also planning to purchase 76 US-made AAVP-7 amphibious assault vehicles, Mark XIIA Identification Friend or Foe Mode 5, and technical and material support for its Type 209 submarine engines, according to Overt Defense.

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Its largest naval modernization plan in two decades, Greece will spend 2.26 billion euros ($2.53 billion) to purchase three Belharra frigates from French defense contractor Naval Group over the next four years.

Athens may also exercise an option to purchase another Belharra frigate and four corvettes next year.

The approval comes amid the country’s concern that a war like the one between Russia and Ukraine could break out in the Aegean. Tensions between Greece and Turkey have increased due to disputes over territorial waters and sovereign rights to undersea resources such as oil and minerals.

The Turkish government has a standing threat of war with Greece if it claims the full 12 nautical miles of territorial water around its sovereign land, including islands that abut the Turkish coast. Such a claim would give Athens 71.5 percent control over the Aegean.

Equipped With Advanced Weaponry

The Belharra frigate is equipped with advanced weaponry not currently deployed by other forces in the Aegean.

The vessel features the latest version of the Exocet anti-ship cruise missile, able to strike targets up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) away. It also has strong anti-submarine capabilities.

The frigate will also be mounted with the Aster 30 surface-to-air missile, which has a range of 120 kilometers (74 miles). It is designed to create an “umbrella of air superiority” around each frigate.

“The basic thing the Belharra will offer the Greek armed forces is to break Turkish numerical superiority in the air,” a Greek naval officer told Al Jazeera. “It will clear the airspace and offer naval forces the opportunity to operate.”

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Confirming a report by the daily Kathimerini, Greece’s deputy defense minister, Fotis Kouvelis, told Skai radio that France “has made two frigates available to us in a leasing agreement.”

The deal was finalized in a telephone call between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and French President Emmanuel Macron, Kouvelis said.

According to the daily Kathimerini, Greece will lease two French FREMM-type frigates for a period of five years, with the vessels expected to be inducted into the Greek Navy by August.

Kouvelis also hinted that two other vessels could be procured in the future, Janes reported.

There is much speculation that the FREMM deal is an interim solution until Greece formally agrees on procurement of Gowind or Belharra class vessels after the FREMM leasing agreement ends.

Kathimerini reported that Greece will take delivery of its first Belharra frigate at the end of the five-year lease.

The acquisition of the two frigates – probably the Languedoc and the Aquitaine – was part of efforts to boost the country’s military capabilities at a time of rising tensions with Turkey, the newspaper said, adding that the frigates will be equipped with high-accuracy anti-aircraft systems.

FREMM – European multi-mission frigate – was designed for the French and Italian navies. Aquitaine, the lead ship of the class, was commissioned in November 2012, and the class is known in France as Aquitaine.

According to Kathimerini, France also committed to supply Exocet anti-ship missiles to Greece.

In the meantime, speaking on Friday afternoon, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said that the news “is not relevant, although of course we are at the disposal of our Greek friends to continue working even more closely.”

A Greek defense ministry source expressed surprise at Parly’s comments, insisting that Tsipras had given the go-ahead on Thursday evening for Kouvelis to talk about the deal.

Recent months have seen a sharp spike in tensions between Athens and Ankara, with Greece determined to protect its sovereign rights in the Aegean Sea where the two sides have a series of longstanding territorial disputes.

On April 12, a Greek air force pilot was killed when his fighter jet crashed in the Aegean sea after an interception of a Turkish jet near Skyros, and two days earlier, Greek soldiers fired warning shots at a Turkish helicopter after it approached the small island of Ro in the Aegean sea.

With reporting from AFP

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The overnight incident comes with the NATO allies locked in yet another round of tense exchanges, sparked this time by Turkey’s detention in March of two Greek soldiers who according to Athens strayed into Turkish territory by mistake.

Greek news outlet Ekathimerini reported that the Turkish helicopter flew around the island at low altitude. The aircraft left the area after Greek troops fired tracer rounds at around 11:30 p.m.

“The order to fire the warning shots to force the helicopter to move off came in the context of stepped up surveillance and reaction measures adopted given the increase in tensions with Turkey,” the Greek source said.

The source, who asked not to be identified, said the helicopter, apparently operated by the Turkish coastguard, flew along the outer limit of the air control identification zone between the two countries.

The source added that later analysis of radar readings showed that the helicopter had not infringed on Greek airspace.

Recent months have seen a sharp spike in tensions between Athens and Ankara, with Greece determined to protect its sovereign rights in the Aegean where the two sides have a series of longstanding territorial disputes.

On Sunday, two Turkish F-16 jets flew over Oinousses, a group of small islands in the northeastern Aegean, ignoring an informal moratorium on military activity during religious holidays, Ekathimerini reported.

With reporting from AFP

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