Athens Will Get F-35s, Erdogan Won’t: Comparisons and Future Prospects for Greek and Turkish Air Forces
FILE PHOTO? American F-35 fighters, on the aircraft carrier Tripoli. Photo via Department of Defense 🇺🇸, @DeptofDefense
The website ’19fortyfive’ publishes an article by Stavros Atlamazoglou with Title Greece’s Air Force Is a Powerhouse (And It Could Get the F-35) which refers to the record of the air forces of Greece and Turkey and the history of Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 program.
Also, reference is made to the ‘next day’ for the air forces of the two countries and Greece’s interest in acquiring 5th generation F-35 Lightning II aircraft.
The Greek Air Force is one of the best in NATO. Greek pilots constantly occupy the top positions in NATO exercises and Schools. However, geopolitical circumstances force this high NATO aviation capability to face the Turkish Air Force on a daily basis, although Turkey is also a member of NATO, the columnist quotes.
He then lists and describes the types of the total 219 combat aircraft that the Hellenic Air Force has, noting that according to Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, 6 F-16 Block 72 (Viper) aircraft will be added to the Air Force by the end of the year . Also, 4 more Rafale F3Rs are likely to be added. In total, the Hellenic Air Force is working with Lockheed Martin to upgrade 83 F-16s to the Viper version, and has released a total of 24 Rafale F3R aircraft.
The procurement of Rafale F3Rs was a surprise purchase by the Greek Army and came as a direct response to Turkish aggression in the spring of 2019 and summer of 2020. Ankara first tried to flood Greece with migrants and then launched a limited military operation in the Aegean.
After describing the armament already carried by the Rafale F3R, the columnist emphasizes that what really makes the aircraft ‘sonic’ is the long-range Meteor air-to-air missile, which can engage and shoot down enemy aircraft from 90 miles away. The Meteor missile allows the Rafale F3R to engage its target without entering the aircraft within range of its opponent’s weapons.
It is also noted that the Greek Squadron flying the Rafale F3Rs is in the initial stage of operational training, which means that some, but not all, of the intercept and strike missions against ships may be carried out.
For the Turkish Air Force, the columnist states that it has a total of 292 aircraft, namely 234 F-16s and 48 F-4 Phantoms. Due to age and lack of spare parts, only a fraction of the 48 F-4 Phantoms are operational.
Following its expulsion from the F-35 program due to the procurement of the Russian S-400, Turkey sent a request to purchase 40 F-16 Vipers and upgrade 80 F-16 aircraft to the Viper version. However, this request met with strong bipartisan opposition in Congress, due to the anti-Americanism and generally anti-Western behavior of Turkish President Erdogan.
The columnist notes that despite the large number of aircraft, the Turkish Air Force is not in good shape because after the failed coup of 2016, it has a significant number of experienced pilots and maintainers.
In addition, the dramatic deterioration of relations with the United States has cost the Turkish air force dearly in terms of spare parts. As a result, only a fraction of the 292 combat aircraft are operational. (Some estimates put the available space at around 150 fighters, or 50% of the total.) To compensate for the lack of aircraft the Turkish Air Force has turned to unmanned TB2 Bayraktars.
Regarding the next day, the columnist points out that in addition to the highly effective Rafale F3Rs, the Hellenic Air Force is also looking at acquiring the 5th generation F-35 aircraft. On the sidelines of the June NATO Summit in Spain, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that Greece has officially expressed its interest in purchasing a Squadron of 24 F-35A Lighting II, with the prospect of purchasing another Squadron in the future.
Afterwards, the Greek Army sent a letter of interest to the American Pentagon regarding the prices and sales of the F-35, while the visit of the Greek Minister of Defense to the Lockheed Martin Headquarters and the F-35 production line followed.
In a recent interview, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos stated that the F-35 Lightning II is a priority for the Hellenic Air Force and the Hellenic Army is in constant communication with Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon about its possible acquisition, which will restore the Hellenic Air Force the only one in the Balkans and the Aegean, which will have the most advanced combat aircraft in the world.
Also, the Greek Army is trying to achieve a percentage of co-production of the F-35 to strengthen the domestic defense industry.
*THE Stavros Atlamazoglou is a veteran of the Greek Army, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and a journalist who deals with defense issues. Contributes to the ‘1945’ website
SOURCE: ’19fortyfive’ – Stavros Atlamazoglou
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