The approval of $US500 mln to Lockheed Martin for the upgrading of five naval aircraft exposed by Proto Thema on Sunday has raised a number of questions and reactions by Greek opposition parties as well as members of the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government.

The contract marks the first major deal in the last 10 years. It was signed on March 15 after the recommendation of Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, who is also the leader of the right-wing ANEL party that is a junior coalition of the SYRIZA-led government. A downpayment of $US45 mln has already been given to the multinational company so that the upgrade, part of a 7-year modernization program, can begin.

SYRIZA MP Nikos Filis admitted that there was concern that the government was investing $US500 mln at a time when only 200 mln euros have been benchmarked for the humanitarian crisis. He agreed with Parliamentary Speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou concerning an immediate meeting of the relevant parliamentary committee on defense issues so as to discuss the specific contract that had been directly commissioned without being preceded by the approval of Greek Parliament.

On his part, Defense Minsiter Panos Kammenos said that he had no choice but to re-activate a contract that had already been agreed upon by the previous government on October 13, 2014. He said that the modernization was crucial so that Greece could meet necessary requirements to take part in NATO collaborations in the Aegean.