Greece acquires American "stealth fighters" F-35

Nikos Dendias’ office is expected to receive a letter on Monday from the US State Department, which has approved the sale to Greece of forty F-35A fighter jets for $8.6 billion and a package of weapons systems, which includes transport aircraft, frigates and armored vehicles, provided to Greece at minimal cost. costs.

The letter will become an official document within 15 days, provided that there are no objections from American legislators, but American sources assure writes CNN Greece that the draft text will not differ from the official version of the LOA.

Greece’s F-35s carry heavy weapons, have high-resolution infrared sensors and are invincible in electronic warfare because they cannot be detected by enemy aircraft’s radars. The F-35 Technology Refresh 3 with Block 4 software, which Greece will acquire in the future, includes a new AESA AN/APG-85 electronically scanned radar, an innovative electronic warfare system and an all-new combat computer.

The F-35 is equipped with the same Link 16 tactical digital data link system as the Belharra frigates and Rafale fighters, which enables consolidation on the battlefield. The Greek armed forces will be able to deliver a crushing blow to the enemy from long distances from the air and sea before the enemy realizes that he has become the target of an attack.

Aviation Sources tells the publication that “the delivery of the first pairs of F35s to the Greek Air Force will not mean a ‘landing’ in Greece.” The training process for Greek pilots on the F35 will be similar to that on the Rafale. The stealth fighters will remain in the US as long as necessary to train the first Greek pilots to operate them. The Americans follow the same procedure for all states included in the F-35 program.

A few years later, Greece will acquire the most modern version of Block4. What is certain is that with the acquisition of modern fighter jets, the Greek Air Force, in combination with the Rafale and F-16 VIPER, will become one of the strongest air forces in the wider region. It will become the third country after Israel and Italy to have an “invisible” fighter in its arsenal.

ΓΔΑΕΕ in collaboration with Air Force General Staff and Ministry of Defense will hold negotiations with the Americans and the manufacturing company Lockheed Martin prior to entering into a program contract to finalize quantity fighters that Greece will order, and then ongoing support, training, spare parts, trainers and weapons. They will also determine the final cost, which is estimated to reach $3 billion. If negotiations are completed within the next 6 months, then mid-2028 Greece will receive the first pairs of “stealth” F-35 aircraft, which will give it absolute sovereignty in the Aegean Sea.

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