The update follows Washington’s approval of the aircraft’s sale to Athens in January.

Lightning II developer Lockheed Martin, which will serve as the sale’s primary contractor, noted that Greece’s letter of offer and acceptance for the sale ordered 20 planes for the Hellenic Air Force.

The letter also includes an option for 20 more F-35s, depending on the service’s requirements.

“For several decades, the Hellenic Air Force has been our partner, and it is our honor to continue that relationship as Greece becomes the 19th nation to join the F-35 program,” Lockheed Martin F-35 VP and General Manager Bridget Lauderdale stated.

“The F-35 is the only fighter suitable to strengthen Greece’s sovereignty and operational capability with allies.”

Athens formalized a request to acquire the US-made combat aircraft in June 2022.

Supporting Allies in Modern Warfare

Lockheed said that the latest F-35 purchase adds to the growing utility of the aircraft across NATO and its allies.

The company highlighted that by the end of the decade, approximately 6,000 F-35s will be employed in over 10 European countries, including two full US squadrons stationed in Lakenheath, England.

In Greece, the presence of the jets is expected to boost “safeguarding” capabilities across the country and nearby allied airspace by playing a vital role in defeating modern-day adversaries.

“The F-35 will provide exceptional capability to the Hellenic Air Force, build interoperability between our allies and strengthen the combat effectiveness for all of NATO,” Lockheed said.

“The F-35’s growing presence across Europe is a powerful testament of alliance-based deterrence and is setting the foundation for NATO and allied nations’ next generation air power capability.”

Lockheed Martin Lightning II

The F-35 Lightning II has a wingspan of 35 feet (11 meters) and a fuselage length of 51.4 feet (15.7 meters).

It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney turbofan engine for a top speed of Mach 1.06 (1,308 kilometers/813 miles per hour), a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 kilometers), and an altitude of up to 50,000 feet (15,000 meters).

The aircraft’s weapon suite includes rotary cannons, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, anti-ship warheads, and guided and nuclear bombs.

The post Greece Procures First F-35 Jets From US appeared first on The Defense Post.

A study is being drafted to assess all tactical ballistic missile options, including the in-development PrSM, according to Greek daily Kathimerini.

Considerations include benefits, costs, and the acquisition and integration process.

Ukraine war’s lessons will also be examined for the assessment as rocket artillery demonstrated its utility in taking out long-range targets.

According to Kathimerini, an army delegation is visiting the US in the coming weeks on an invitation to observe a live-fire exercise of HIMARS.

The visit’s focus is to witness the PrSM in action, the outlet added.

Need to Upgrade MLRS

According to Kathimerini, an upgraded MLRS is required for the missile’s employment. 

Therefore, the Hellenic Army is considering upgrading two thirds of its fleet of 36 MLRS to the A2 level, expected to cost around 1.1 billion euros ($1.18 billion).

Another option is to upgrade only one third of the fleet, with a parallel procurement of new missiles.

Precision Strike Missile

A replacement for the Army Tactical Missile System, the PrSM features a sleeker design and longer range of over 400 kilometers (248 miles).

It can be launched from both the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).

The US Army received the first PrSM late last year. Initial operational capability is expected in 2025.

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“Europe will be safe as long as the skies over it are safe,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote in a letter to EU chief Ursula Von der Leyen.

“That is why the EU needs a new flagship programme — a European air defence shield — a comprehensive air defence system to protect our common EU airspace against all incoming threats.”

The proposal comes as EU nations scramble to bolster their defenses and re-arm in the wake of Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Von der Leyen made reference to it in a debate Thursday against rivals competing with her as she seeks a second mandate.

She urged the next commission to pursue common European defense projects — “for example, an air defence shield for all.”

Poland and Romania, two EU countries bordering Ukraine, have already seen drones and missiles from the conflict cross into their territory.

“The European air defence shield must be a programme which addresses this major vulnerability in our security,” the letter said.

“A programme which strengthens the EU’s overall defence capabilities and incentivises European defence companies to develop cutting-edge technologies.”

The scarcity of air defenses in the EU has been underscored recently by the failure of countries beyond Germany to send more systems to Ukraine as it faces fierce bombardments from Russia.

Germany last year launched it own initiative along with NATO allies seeking to bolster the continent’s air defenses through joint purchases of equipment.

But that has failed to gain traction with key players such as France who objected to plans to buy the weaponry outside the EU.

Tusk and Mitsotakis said they looked forward to discussing their proposal with other EU leaders at a summit next month.

The post Poland, Greece Call for EU to Create ‘Air Defense Shield’ appeared first on The Defense Post.

The ceremony followed the delivery in February of pre-outfitted hull blocks developed by Ampelakia-based industry partner Salamis Shipyards.

The project will now proceed to the assembly of these parts at Naval Group’s Lorient facility.

France’s Defense and Intervention Frigate Program

Paris unveiled the FDI program in 2013 to expand the French Navy’s capabilities for more complex battlefields.

By 2035, the FDI’s resulting fleet is expected to take over the role of France’s La Fayette-class multi-purpose frigates in service since the 1980s.

Under this initiative, the program ordered five frigates in 2017. Four years later, the keel-laying for the lead ship, Amiral Ronarc’h (D660), was conducted.

Belharra for Greece

In 2021, the French and Greek governments agreed to deliver three FDI vessels to the Hellenic Navy, with Naval Group as the primary contractor. Export variants produced under this framework are designated Belharra-class ships.

Naval Group received the contract to build the Greek FDIs with an option for a fourth additional ship in 2022. Athens named the third frigate “HS Formion” (F-603) the same year.

“Naval Group is proud… to be a part of this new chapter in the strategic alliance between Greece and France. Greece has chosen the latest generation of frigates that bring together the best of French naval know-how and will strengthen the capabilities of the Hellenic Navy,” Naval Group CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet remarked during the Greek FDI contract signing.

“The frigates program is the first of many steps in the partnership between Naval Group and the Hellenic Navy and will contribute to the development of the partnership between our countries, our navies and our industries for decades to come.”

The FDI Fleet

Each FDI frigate measures 122 meters (499 feet) long and has a 17.7-meter (88-foot) beam.

It is powered by a combined diesel and diesel or CODAD engine for a maximum speed of 27 knots (50 kilometers/31 miles per hour) and endurance of up to 45 days.

An FDI can carry more than 120 personnel and one helicopter with specifications similar to the NH90, H160, and MH-60R Seahawk.

The ship is integrated with active electronically scanned array radar, countermeasure decoys, multi-domain missiles, torpedoes, and mounted rapid guns.

The post Naval Group Lays Keel of Greece’s Third Defense and Intervention Frigate appeared first on The Defense Post.

Approved by the US State Department in 2023, the foreign military sale is estimated to be worth $1.95 billion.

The deal will cover personnel training and training equipment to ensure the helicopters’ smooth integration into the Hellenic Army.

Sikorsky President Paul Lemmo stated the deal will support Greece’s defense modernization efforts, utilizing the new aircraft in national and allied security missions.

“The multi-role Black Hawk helicopter provides unmatched global interoperability, significantly increasing Greece’s deterrent capability and that of all NATO member countries,” he said.

The estimated date of delivery for the helicopters is yet to be announced.

UH-60M Black Hawk

The UH-60Ms were built by Lockheed-owned Sikorsky in the 1970s as a utility aircraft with significant performance, survivability, and reliability improvements compared to their counterparts.

The twin-engine, medium lift aircraft is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 159 knots (183 miles/295 kilometers per hour) and a cruising speed of 152 knots (175 miles/282 kilometers per hour).

Its two variants are classified as utility and special purpose, with both divided into more sub-variants that make up a total of 29 different modifications.

The post Greece Buys 35 UH-60M Black Hawks From US appeared first on The Defense Post.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Zelensky was giving him a tour of the Odesa port — a vital outlet for Ukrainian exports across the Black Sea — when “we heard sirens.”

“Shortly after, as we were getting into our vehicles, we heard a powerful explosion,” he said.

“We did not have time to get to a shelter. It is a very intense experience,” Mitsotakis said through a translator in Odesa.

Ukraine’s navy told AFP the attack on port infrastructure killed five people and left an unspecified number of wounded.

Ukraine stepped up its own attacks behind Russian lines with the apparent killing of a Russian election official with a car bomb and a drone assault on a metals plant.

Russia and Ukraine have increased aerial attacks as Moscow’s troops advance on the front lines and Kyiv faces a shortage of manpower and weapons.

Ukrainian navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk confirmed the Odesa strike came as the Greek delegation was visiting the port with Zelensky.

According to the White House spokeswoman in Washington, “it appears that (the rocket) landed near the convoy.”

In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed “total condemnation for the attack on Odesa during the meeting.”

But the Russian defense ministry claimed a strike on a “hangar in a commercial port area of Odesa in which crewless cutters were being prepared for combat use by the Ukrainian armed forces.”

The hit came just days after 12 people, including five children, were killed when a Russian drone hit an apartment block in the same Black Sea city, one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in weeks.

With the White House struggling to end Republican stonewalling on new US aid packages to Ukraine, a spokesperson for President Joe Biden‘s National Security Council said the Odesa attack showed the “urgent need” for sending weapons.

“This strike is yet another reminder of how Russia is continuing to attack Ukraine recklessly every single day.”

Car Bomb

Meanwhile, authorities in the Russian-occupied city of Berdyansk in southern Ukraine blamed Kyiv for a car bombing that it said killed a local election official.

“A homemade explosive device was planted under the vehicle of a member of the precinct election commission,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement.

“The victim died from her injuries,” it added, publishing a video of a blown-out small beige car parked on a dirt track.

The attack came with early voting already underway across occupied Ukraine for this month’s Russian presidential election.

The Moscow-installed head of the Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, blamed Ukrainian authorities for the attack and said they were trying to “intimidate” residents ahead of the ballot.

A number of Russian-installed officials have been targeted since Moscow launched its full-scale military operation in Ukraine two years ago.

Russia also said Ukraine hit a fuel tank at a metals plant in Russia’s Kursk region in an early morning drone strike.

“A drone attacked a fuel and lubricants warehouse” at the Mikhailovsky Mining and Processing Plant in the city of Zheleznogorsk, some 90 kilometers (55 miles) from the border with Ukraine, Kursk governor Roman Starovoyt said.

Videos posted on Russian social media showed thick grey smoke billowing as a fire raged inside a cylindrical fuel storage tank.

Fortifications

Ukrainian forces have launched a wave of drone attacks at Russian energy facilities in recent months, trying to target the country’s vital energy and gas sector that Kyiv says fuels the invasion.

Meanwhile, Russian-installed officials said a Ukrainian artillery strike on Kreminna, a town in Ukraine’s Lugansk region, killed two people.

Five more were killed when a bus drove over a mine in Kirovsk, also in Lugansk, the Moscow-appointed head of the region said.

Lugansk is one of the four Ukrainian regions — along with Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — that Russia claimed to annex in 2022.

The region has been at war since 2014 when Russian-backed separatists tried to secede following a pro-EU revolution in Kyiv.

On the front lines, the Ukrainian army said Wednesday it had built an “extensive system” of fortifications near the town of Adviivka — captured last month by Russia — in a bid to stop further Russian advances.

Hold-ups to Western aid, mainly a crucial $60-billion package from the United States, have left Ukraine’s troops in a vulnerable position, forced to ration ammunition and unable to mount large-scale offensives.

‘Active Combat Zone’

Russian President Vladimir Putin also held talks with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, in Sochi to discuss the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The facility, Europe’s largest nuclear energy site, was seized by Russian troops in the first days of the war.

Speaking to AFP ahead of the meeting, Grossi rejected Russian suggestions that the plant could be put back online.

“First of all, this is an active combat zone, and this cannot be forgotten. Secondly, this plant has been in shutdown for a prolonged period of time,” he told AFP.

The post Russian Rocket Hits Close to Zelensky, Greek PM appeared first on The Defense Post.

The proposal could be discussed during Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s upcoming visit to India, Kathimerini reported, citing sources.

Mitsotakis is expected to visit the South Asian country in the third week of February.

Athens retired the Mirages in January 2022 with the arrival of French Rafale jets.

The Mirages’ difficult maintenance due to a lack of spare parts was one of the reasons for their phase-out, according to Kathimerini.

The aircraft, which are in bad condition, are expected to fetch Athens “a few million euros at best.”

India to Fly Mirages One More Decade 

The Indian Air Force operates around 50 French-origin Mirage 2000s, first inducted in the 80s.

New Delhi bought 24 additional second-hand Mirages in 2021 as around 34 operational aircraft faced a shortage of critical parts while undergoing mid-life upgrades.

According to Kathimerini, India indicated in late 2023 to retain the Dassault aircraft for at least another decade.

Potential Plans for Operational Mirages

As far as the operational Mirages are concerned, the Greek air force is weighing all options, including selling them to finance additional Rafales.

The legendary aircraft has started to show its age in the era of network-centredness, forcing the air force to abandon a planned integration of the Link-16 terminal with the aircraft due to “high costs and uncertainty about the effectiveness of the project,” according to Kathimerini.

The integration would have allowed the aircraft to communicate with the air force’s F-16Vs, Rafales, and future F-35s.

According to the outlet, the more likely option is to shift the aircraft gradually to a secondary role of interception like the older F-16 Block 30s.

The post Greece Mulls Selling 18 Phased-Out Mirages to India appeared first on The Defense Post.

The maritime rotary-wing aircraft successfully passed integrated mission and sensor systems tests, verifying their effectiveness and efficiency, Sikorsky announced Wednesday.

The tests also reportedly confirmed that the Seahawks are capable of performing anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions, either from ships or on the ground.

Sikorsky President Paul Lemmo said the commonality of the MH-60R Seahawks to the MH-60S and the global fleet of Black Hawk helicopters “allows Sikorsky and the US Navy to continue sustaining and upgrading this proven weapons system for maximum threat deterrence and operational capability.”

Greece placed an order for four MH-60R choppers in 2020 and contracted Sikorsky again for another three Seahawks in April 2021.

Arrival in Athens

A next-generation platform, the MH-60R is considered one of the world’s most advanced maritime helicopters.

It can accommodate three or four flight crew members and five passengers.

It has four weapons stations for AGM-114 Hellfire anti-surface missiles, ATK mk50 or mk46 lightweight torpedoes, and other anti-surface warfare weapons.

According to Sikorsky, the first three MH-60R Seahawks will arrive in Greece later this year via US Navy transport planes, while the remaining four choppers under order will be delivered in 2025.

They will join the Hellenic Navy’s existing fleet of 11 S-70B Seahawk aircraft at Kotroni Naval Air Station.

Once delivered, Greece will become the seventh country in the world and fourth in Europe to receive the naval helicopters.

The post Greece’s MH-60R Seahawk Helos Complete Key Tests Ahead of Delivery appeared first on The Defense Post.

The collaboration’s first partnership focuses on creating a missile system launch kit with Miltech, which will be offered on the global market as a capability that can be integrated with light automatic turrets fitted with low-caliber guns.

The second collaboration will see the development of tactical drones equipped with the Akeron MP missiles. Altus will assist with integrating the missile into new equipment, including its Atlas 8 Heavy Lifter unmanned aerial vehicle.

The deals were signed as part of the MBDA’s R&D Booster initiative, a partnership agreement created by France and Greece in 2021 to establish long-term collaborations in Europe.

The Akeron MP

Used in service by France, Egypt, and Ukraine, the Akeron MP is a lightweight, medium-range missile used for anti-tank, anti-infrastructure, and anti-personnel operations.

The fifth-generation weapon has day and night capabilities due to its IR/TV seekers and can also operate in sub-optimal climates with desert- and subarctic-like conditions.

It has an operational range of up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) and is able to penetrate 2,000 millimeters (79 inches) of concrete with its Tandem HEAT warhead.

The post MBDA, Greece Companies to Collaborate on Akeron Missile Projects appeared first on The Defense Post.

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 post The Fight for Air Superiority in the Aegean appeared first on The Defense Post.