With the signing of an agreement on Tuesday, Greece formally joins the ranks of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, which comprises the purchase of 20 F-35A Lightning II stealth jets, together with the buying of an option for 20 more, that will thus enhance the country’s capabilities in air defense and reinforce collective security in NATO.
The Letter of Offer and Acceptance was signed by the Greek Ministry of Defense to acquire F-35A fighter jets, to make Greece the 19th country and the 12th European country in the F-35 program.
He welcomed Greece’s entry into the program, saying: “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.”
The Hellas Air Force is to be equipped with the F-35A Block 4 upgraded model, which will significantly raise its operational power.
According to Bridget Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of the F-35 program, it is a critical acquisition because the F-35 is the only fighter suitable for reinforcing Greece’s sovereignty and operation capability with allies.
This is part of Greece’s deeper military modernization effort, such as the upgrade of its F-16 fleet to the Block 70/72 “Viper” package and the acquisition of Dassault Rafale jets from France.
Since 2020, Greece has been in an arms race with Turkey and thus has always kept its armed forces, especially the air force, under immense investment.
Moreover, the acquisition of F-35 puts into bold relief the qualitative gap between Greece and Turkey. Turkey, once a would-be buyer of the F-35, was unceremoniously expelled from the program in 2019 after purchasing Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, ending up on the receiving end of this rising qualitative gap.
The F-35s will be based in Andravida on the northwest of Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula and will be operated from the 117 Combat Wing.
The unit previously flew F-4E Phantoms before being disbanded.
The new jets will become the second part of Greece’s multirole fleet under the Dassault Rafales, moving forward the Hellenic Air Force’s combat readiness.
The Biden administration’s sale of the F-35 to Greece only a few months after selling F-16s to Turkey illustrates the great strategic imperative to maintain a balance of power in the region.
The $8.6 billion deal for F-35s includes related equipment so Greece’s air force remains at the cutting edge of military technology.
However, the acquisition of the F-35s brings Greece one major step forward in its bid to maintain air superiority over the Aegean region as it continues its drive toward modernizing its air force.
The Hellenic Air Force, with its new Rafales and the F-16s upgraded to now, is well placed to challenge any southeastern European force.