Greece to consider F-35 purchase

[Papastratosels26]

The acquisition by Greece of US-made F-35 fighter jets will hinge on the country’s fiscal plans and Washington’s ability to offer a long-term payment framework, reliable sources said Friday.

The possibility of Greece acquiring the Lockheed Martin jets as part of its efforts to upgrade the Hellenic Air Force fleet, was raised Friday by Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis, following remarks on Thursday by a US official about the possibility of selling the aircraft to more countries.

More specifically, Vice Admiral Mathias Winter, head of the Pentagon’s F-35 office, told Congress on Thursday that sales of the jets could be expanded to include five new countries – Singapore, Spain, Romania, Greece and Poland.

“Beyond the upgrade of the F-16 fighter jets, we are in the process of selecting a new plane for Greece, so we can gradually move to the new generation of aircraft,” Apostolakis told journalists during a visit to Andravida Air Base in the western Peloponnese.

“The statement by the US Congress helps in this perspective. We will examine it, all the elements, and see what will happen,” he added.

Sources said that given Greece’s fiscal constraints, the purchase of the fighter jets will depend on whether it can pay for them over a time period ranging from six to eight years.
For the time being, Greece has sent a letter of request for price and availability to Lockheed Martin for between 25 and 30 jets.

Greek interest comes at a time of growing tensions between the US and Turkey over Ankara’s acquisition of Russian missile defense systems, which Washington opposes.

[Papastratosels26]

http://www.ekathimerini.com/239304/a...-f-35-purchase

[Teutone]

best plane ever, this would be awesome for you!

[Papastratosels26]

best plane ever, this would be awesome for you!

Yeap. Next generation, invisible in the radars.

[Tigranes]

Greece Stronk!

[Pansarkamrat]

I would be very good for their military. The F16 are getting old and the F35 are natos new standard jet replacing the F16 but to greece realy have the money to do that? And the first thing Greece needs to replace is their service rifles.

[Papastratosels26]

I would be very good for their military. The F16 are getting old and the F35 are natos new standard jet replacing the F16 but to greece realy have the money to do that? And the first thing Greece needs to replace is their service rifles.

Greece always has money for the military budget. Actually we and the US are the only members who
pay all the budget in NATO.

[Papastratosels26]

Also I agree with you we need a reformation in our weapons to.

[dosas]

Greece + Israel = new bastion of the West for the East Med. region.

Hezbollah and Turkey are enemy no.1 for the US and NATO's interests in the area. Greek F-35s will be the new reality to respond to Turkey's S-400 Russian armaments.

As you can realize, the lines have been drawn out.

[dosas]