Image credit: Ekathimerini.com
Retrieved from: https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1234763/defense-minister-hails-radical-changes-to-armed-forces/
Image credit: Greek Reporter
Retrieved from: https://greekreporter.com/2024/03/21/greece-receives-us-made-romeo-mh-60r-seahawk-helicopters/
Image credit: DTurDef
Retrieved from: https://turdef.com/article/the-u-s-sends-large-amounts-of-military-equipment-to-greece
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March 27, 2024 - Greece swaps F-35 Block 3 for Block 4 to deploy Meteor BVRAAM - While the American government granted the F-16 Block 70/72 to Turkey, a similar gift occurred with a far superior breed of fighters to Greece. This signifies a shift for the Greek Air Force, which will now take to the skies as the privileged operators of the F-35, instead of Turkey. Currently, Greece is discussing the procurement of 20 F-35A Block 3 fighter jets. However, a credible Greek news outlet, Pentapostagma, is reporting a change of plans. The negotiations between Athens and Washington appear to be leaning towards a swap of the Block 3 jets for the advanced Block 4 versions. A cursory look back at BulgarianMilitary.com reveals that when the green light was given for Greece to acquire the F-35, the jet model in question was Block 3. Read more
March 25, 2024 - Defense Minister hails ‘radical changes’ to Armed Forces - Greece’s Armed Forces are undergoing a radical overhaul in what the prime minister has described as the “biggest reform program in the history of the modern Greek state,” Defense Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed on Monday. Presenting the broad strokes of the plan “to prepare the Armed Forces for the 21st century” in an interview with Antenna TV as Greece celebrates Independence Day, Dendias said the reforms are sweeping. “We need to make some very radical changes, in the weapons systems, in the structure, in innovation – that is, in the ability to create new systems using our own capabilities – in the military service, in our own significant and motivated personnel, everything needs to change. Read more
March 25, 2024 - Greece sells F-4E, F-16 Block 30, Mirage 2000-5 and purchase F-35 Block 4 and more Rafale - The Greek Minister of Defense, Nikos Dendias, stated that Greece wants to sell the F-16 Block 30, Mirage 2000-5 and F-4E Phantom fighter jets as part of the implementation of Agenda 2030. The Armed Forces Agenda 2023 is the biggest reform in the history of the Hellenic Armed Forces since the establishment of the modern Greek state, according to Dendias. Nikos Dendias also stated that all F-16 fighter jets should be upgraded to the Viper version and 6 more Rafales should be purchased so that the Hellenic Air Force has a total of 30. The Minister of National Defense emphasized that Greece wishes to purchase the F-35 Block 4. Read more
March 21, 2024 - Greek PM Mitsotakis Calls for ‘Defense’ Eurobonds at EU Summit - The Greek PM stated that strategic self-determination of Europe means more investments in military equipment, adding that Greece had exceeded 2% of its defense spending as a percentage of GDP in recent years. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Europe should be able to issue Eurobonds dedicated exclusively to bolstering its military defense industry during remarks to the press in Brussels, on Thursday, where is taking part in a two-day EU Summit organized by the Council of the EU. “Greece must remain fortified, and for this, it should explore new ways to finance defense expenditures,” underscored Mitsotakis as he attended the European Council Summit in Brussels. Read more
March 21, 2024 - Greece Receives US-made Romeo MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters - Greece received on Wednesday three new US-made Romeo MH-60R Seahawk helicopters that will be joining the Hellenic Navy. The ceremony took place at the Kotroni Air Base, near Marathon in East Attica, where Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made a brief address, emphasizing the dangers Greece faces from Turkey despite improving relations. “Despite the calmness that currently prevails in the Aegean, we must not forget that our neighbors to the east are also accelerating their own armaments program. Approaches are always imperative, but under no circumstances are illusions allowed. Read more
March 20, 2024 - The U.S. Sends Large Amounts of Military Equipment to Greece - An American cargo ship, Leroy A. Mendonica, unloaded Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and Abrams tanks in northern Greece. Greek media reported that the American cargo ship Leroy A. Mendonica unloaded moved approximately 3,000 pieces of equipment, including Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and Abrams tanks, at the port of Alexandroupolis in northern Greece for the 3rd Armoured Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division’s rotational deployment in Europe of NATO. The Russian News Agency claimed that the heavy vehicles were transported to Eastern Europe. Read more
March 19, 2024 - The Elefsis Shipyards set the bar high - ONEX is focusing, according to information from the shipping market, on two more agreements. ONEX group and Elefsis Shipyards are about to sign contracts for the construction of up to three coastal vessels by the end of 2024, according to sources. Having already agreed with Attica for the construction of the first new vessel of the coastal shipping industry after 17 years – the signatures are expected by the end of May – ONEX is focusing, according to information from the shipping market, on two more agreements. The signing of a second contract with Attica in 2024, as well as claiming a shipbuilding contract with a shipping company whose headquarters are not in Europe. Read more
March 17, 2024 - Greece Receives 44 mod4 Heavy-weight Torpedoes - According to the Greek publication To Vima, Hellenic Navy Receives 44 SeaHake mod4 Heavy-weight Torpedoes. The Atlas Elektronik’s SeaHake mod4 is a dual-purpose, fibre-optic, wire-guided, heavy-weight (533 millimetres) torpedo. It uses an electric motor with skew glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) propellers, providing silent operation during the attack. It can be launched from submarines, surface vessels or shore-based platforms. Read more
Greece will keep supplying Ukraine - March 15, 2024 - Deal being negotiated with Czech Republic will provide several types of projectiles, ammunition. Greece will continue supplying Ukraine with guns and ammunition this year without depleting its stocks. The equipment will be bought from the Czech Republic and transferred directly to Ukraine. Czech and Greek officials are negotiating the prices of these systems; signing a bilateral agreement will follow. Greek officials say that it is ammunition that Ukraine needs the most and that its offer will contribute toward meeting the Ukrainians’ needs. Read more
Dendias to “Naftemporiki”: Focus on the development of defense technology programs - March 11, 2024 - Greece must proceed with the development of its own defense technology programs, which will contribute to the development of the country, Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, said in an interview with “Naftemporiki”. Therefore, investments in defense will not only not be characterized as “counterproductive” from an economic point of view, but will contribute to enhancing employment, supporting research and development, with technologies that will serve both military, social, commercial and civil protection purposes, he added. Read more
Greece joins two European Defence Agency projects in the air domain - March 4, 2024 - Greece has become an official member of the EDA programme arrangement - C-27J Spartan Cooperation. From March, Greece will be part of efforts to enhance the operational and logistical capabilities of participating Member States' fleets of C-27J tactical military airlifters. The Hellenic Airforce will participate for the first time with an aircraft in the upcoming European Spartan Exercise 2024. Greece is also now part of EDA’s Multilateral Air Transport Training and Exercises Initiative as its 19th participating member. Read more
Dendias: After Red Sea mission, Greece seeks key role in EU defense - March 4, 2024 - Greece, host of the headquarters of the EU operation to shield ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, hopes to play a more central role in ensuring security of the 27-nation bloc, the defense minister said. “We have to be able to defend ourselves,” Nikos Dendias told Reuters, adding that the European Union could achieve that in cooperation with NATO and other allies. “What we’re trying to do is have a home-grown defense industry in Greece and Europe which could service the needs of the European Union.” Read more
Dendias: After Red Sea mission, Greece seeks key role in EU defense - March 4, 2024 - Greece, host of the headquarters of the EU operation to shield ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, hopes to play a more central role in ensuring security of the 27-nation bloc, the defense minister said. “We have to be able to defend ourselves,” Nikos Dendias told Reuters, adding that the European Union could achieve that in cooperation with NATO and other allies. “What we’re trying to do is have a home-grown defense industry in Greece and Europe which could service the needs of the European Union.” Read more
Greece seeking to create ‘smarter’ army - March 1, 2024 - Cabinet approves defense innovation bill modeled on US, UK, Israeli and French examples. Marking the first step toward establishing the framework necessary to enable the creation of a “smart” army, the cabinet on Thursday approved the Defense Ministry’s bill on defense innovation. It essentially seeks to rectify a long-standing distortion in recent years that has kept the Hellenic Armed Forces from effectively accessing defensive innovation created in the country. To this end, the bill provides for the establishment of the Hellenic Center for Innovation Development to support the research and development of dual use technologies and the procurement of innovative products for the Armed Forces. Read more