The 2022 NATO Madrid Summit ended on Thursday, June 30. Remarks made by U.S. President Joe Biden and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the final day of that meeting could provide some early insight into what Greek and Turkish air forces could look like at the end of this decade.
President Biden told a press conference that the United States supports the sale of modernized F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
On Tuesday, Turkey tentatively agreed to lift its prior objections to Finland and Sweden joining the alliance. Biden denied his stated support for the F-16 sale was in return for Turkey’s crucial approval of the two Nordic countries’ admission, pointing out that he had previously expressed his approval before this issue even arose.
“I said back in December, as you’ll recall, we should sell them the F-16 jets and modernize those jets as well,” he said. “It’s not in our interest not to do that.”
“And there was no quid pro quo with that,” he added. “It was just that we should sell, but I need congressional approval to be able to do that. And I think we can do that.”
Greece has already secured a contract to upgrade 84 HAF F-16s to Block 72 configuration. Lockheed Martin will complete that contract in mid-2027. So, even if the Biden administration can win the approval of Congress for the Turkish F-16 deal soon, which is far from guaranteed, Greece will still field 84 modernized F-16s before Turkey does.
Furthermore, Greece would also begin taking delivery of F-35s around the same time Lockheed Martin finishes upgrading those HAF F-16s, presuming it can secure a deal for at least one squadron, which is not unlikely. Athens previously reportedly expressed its willingness to buy second-hand F-35s, which could mean it might acquire the aircraft a little earlier.
And that’s not mentioning the 24 4.5-generation Dassault Rafale F3R jets Greece has already begun taking delivery of from France, which are more advanced than any aircraft in the Turkish arsenal.
more at forbes.com
also read
Greece to acquire F35 jets immediately, Defence Minister Panagiotopoulos reveals
