Article author:
Reuters
Athens — Greece is expected to send an official request to the United States within a few days to buy 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters, defense sources said Thursday.
NATO member Greece spends more than 2% of its GDP on defense spending. In recent years, military purchases have been stepping up as tensions with neighboring countries, historic rivals and NATO's ally Turkey have reignited.
"The relevant documents have been signed," said one source. Jet delivery will begin between 2027 and 2028.
According to the state television ERT, the request has been signed and will be submitted to the US Embassy in Athens this week. This is the first step in a multi-step process.
Greece and Turkey have been on a series of problems for decades, from flying in the Aegean Sea, the extent of the continental shelf, from maritime boundaries to energy resources and ethnically divided Cyprus. I have been in conflict.
Greek Prime Minister Kiria Kosmitsutakis mentioned that she purchased an F-35 jet during her visit to the United States in May.
Last year, Athens ordered 24 Dassault Rafale jets for € 2.5 billion, three naval frigates and a fourth frigate from France for around € 3 billion. According to ERTTV in the state of
, the Pentagon also wants to proceed with the upgrade of F-16 fighters.
On Wednesday, the United States supported the possibility of selling US F-16 fighters to Turkey the day after Ankara lifted its refusal to join NATO in Finland and Sweden, providing a strong Turkish defense. Ability is NATO defense. (Report by Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas, edited by Angus MacSwan)
