Greece News Update 03-09-2024

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August 31, 2024 - Greek F-16s arrive in India for Tarang Shakti 2024 - Signifying deepening relations between Greece and India, four fighter jets and two transport aircraft as well as Air Force personnel are currently stationed at the Jodhpur Air Base in Rajasthan, northwest India, to participate for the first time in the large-scale multinational exercise Tarang Shakti 24. The jets and crews arrived in India after completing a 3,000-kilometer journey with two stops for refuelling, in an area where the Hellenic Air Force had never operated before. The Greek military presence in India comes in return for the invitation of the Indian Air Force’s participation in Iniochos 23 with Su-30 aircraft. Read more

August 27, 2024 - Available C-130 Hercules transport planes rises to five - The arrival on Monday of the C-130 Hercules of the Hellenic Air Force at the Elefsina Air Base has raised the number of available transport force aircraft of the 356 Tactical Transport Squadron to five. This is one of two C-130 Hercules that joined the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NATO NSPA) support program and were transferred to Portugal to be maintained by OGMA. Optimistic estimates place the delivery time of the other plane in Portugal within 2025. The goal set by the Defence Ministry and the Air Staff is for the Air Force to have at least 10 available C-130 Hercules and C-27 Spartan transport aircraft by 2027. Read more

August 23, 2024 - Production of Greece’s New Firefighting Planes Begins - The production of new firefighting planes that will equip Greece’s fleet as part of the EU’s rescEU scheme has begun. This production will be part of the new fleet of amphibious firefighting planes of a broader European initiative in line with the EU’s response to the increasing threat of wildfires across Europe resulting, in part, from climate change. A total of twelve new Canadair aircraft, type DHC 515, will be produced and financed by the European Commission. Once completed, they will be part of the permanent rescEU fleet. The rescEU initiative is designed to have a permanent fleet that can rapidly be deployed to any EU member state that faces severe wildfires. Read more

August 21, 2024 - ASPIDES: There can be no solution to this crisis by military action alone - With all eyes turned on the Middle East amid fear of further escalation of tension in the region, the European operation ASPIDES continues to cooperate with the forces deployed in the Red Sea region for the free passage of merchant ships. Greece has a leading role as it has provided the headquarters of the 1st Army/European Union Operation Headquarters (EU-OHQ) in Larissa, to accommodate the headquarters of the European operation. After the HYDRA frigate of the Navy, as well as the PSARA frigate, the SPETSAI frigate will follow, in which, as highlighted by competent sources to “Naftemporiki”, the anti- drone system Centaur will be installed, a system that was tested and worked effectively on the PSARA frigate, against the attacks of Houthi rebels near Iran. Read more

August 12, 2024 - Restricted spending options - Ministry of Finance officials call them “the elephants in the room.” They refer to defense and pensions, where increased spending needs severely restrict the margin of manoeuvre for spending on other items. The European Commission is strict: Spending increases have limits. And, in Greece’s case they cannot exceed 3-3.2% annually. This is not an arbitrary limit; it is compatible with the government’s own plan to achieve primary budget surpluses – excluding servicing the country’s debt – equal to 2.1% of GDP in both 2024 and 2025. This is part of the Stability Pact goals submitted by the government in April and are prerequisites for reducing the debt as a percentage of GDP by 1 point, as the Commission demands of countries whose debt exceeds 60% of GDP. Read more

July 17, 2024 - Salamis Shipyards deliver five pre-equipped blocks for French FDI frigates - Salamis Shipyards has delivered five pre-equipped blocks of the second and fifth series of production for the French FDI frigates (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention), which are now being transported to the Naval Group shipyard in Lorient. This delivery marks a significant milestone for both Salamis Shipyards and Greek shipbuilding defence industry, as it is the first time a Greek shipyard has participated in the construction of high-tech warships for another country’s fleet through the FDI program. Read more

August 8, 2024 - Greek Air Force plans to buy four US Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers - According to exclusive information from OnAlert on August 2, 2024, the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) recently sent an official request to U.S. authorities expressing interest in acquiring up to four used Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft through the Excess Defence Articles (EDA) program from the U.S. Armed Forces' surplus. The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) seeks further information regarding the availability of up to four KC-135R Stratotankers refuelling aircraft, based on the US Air Force's list of surplus aviation assets available for free transfer via the EDA program. Read more

August 8, 2024 - Greece seeking to boost air defence - The military confrontations in the wider area around Greece, extending from the Middle East to Ukraine, have prompted Athens to expedite decisions aimed at a multi-level air defence (anti-drone, and medium-range anti-ballistic). The crisis in Ukraine and, more significantly, Israel’s several Middle East confrontations have demonstrated that states faced by highly strategic opponents are unable to hold out for very long without dependable and potent air defence. With the exception of the American Patriot missile systems, which are also equipped with anti-ballistic capabilities, Greece falls short when it comes to a dependable way to counter medium- or long-range threats. Read more

August 6, 2024 - Hellenic, Nordic Seaplanes forge strategic alliance - Greece's Hellenic Seaplanes (Athens) and Denmark's Nordic Seaplanes (Aarhus SPB) have announced a strategic alliance aimed at shaping the future of the seaplane sector in Europe. Through the partnership, the two airlines say they will aim to enhance regulatory support, improve operational efficiency, and drive technological advancements for seaplane operations across the continent. In a joint statement following a meeting in Aarhus, the companies said that together they hope to set new industry standards and expand seaplane operations across Europe. Read more

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